


Keep Breathing

by Jestana



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Temporary Character Death, Don't copy to another site, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, sort of soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:21:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 102,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24777568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: Alec Ryder survives Habitat 7 and has to figure out how to repair his relationships with his twin children: Terry and Freddy. At the same time, Terry is named the Junior Pathfinder to save her life and now gets to learn while working alongside her father.
Relationships: Harry Carlyle/Alec Ryder, Harry Carlyle/Alec Ryder/Ellen Ryder, Male Ryder | Scott/Reyes Vidal, Peebee/Male Ryder | Scott, Peebee/Male Ryder | Scott/Reyes Vidal, Suvi Anwar/Avela Kjar/Female Ryder | Sara, Suvi Anwar/Female Ryder | Sara
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8





	1. Not a Great Start

**Author's Note:**

> I had the idea for this late last year. I wrote about half of it during NaNoWriMo and poked at it some more once the quarantine started. I think this is the longest, most complicated fic I've written to date.
> 
> I really wanted Alec and Terry to have a chance to reconcile with each other, which they didn't have in canon. Since I was messing with canon anyway, I made other changes that will, hopefully, become apparent as I post the chapters.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission on Habitat 7 didn't go well and their reception on the Nexus isn't as great as they'd hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are elements of my other Andromeda fics that find their way into this one. It's not plagiarism if I'm copying myself. *wink* When I do, I try to change it up a bit, maybe write it from a different character's PoV or adjust it because different events have happened.

"Come on, Terry, keep breathing," Alec begged his daughter, voice muffled by an emergency oxygen mask, as Harry jumped down from the shuttle before it'd even landed properly. Alec looked up with relieved violet eyes as Harry knelt beside him. "Please, Harry. We can't lose her."

Harry squeezed Alec's wrist, registering that Terry wore Alec's helmet now. "I'll do what I can, Alec. What happened?"

"Feedback of some kind from messing with that tower," Alec explained as Harry scanned Terry with his omni-tool. "Knocked us off the platform. We were holding on okay, and then a box smashed into Terry's face and sent her flying."

Rolling his eyes as he gave Terry an injection of medi-gel, Harry finished, "And you let go the next moment."

"If I hadn't, she'd probably be dead," Alec retorted, looking distressed.

Before Harry could reply, Cora reported, "Gurney's right here, Dr. Carlyle."

"Thanks, Lieutenant," he answered absently. "She has some contusions from her faceplate shattering, but that's the least of her worries right now."

Together, Alec and Harry lifted Terry up so Cora and Liam could slide the gurney underneath her. They settled and secured her onto it. As they worked, Alec pulled himself together. "SAM, tell _Hyperion_ to prep the medbay."

"Yes, Pathfinder," SAM replied with a calm that Harry rather envied.

The moment they were aboard the shuttle and the gurney secured, it lifted off. Harry yanked off his helmet and pushed down his hood, monitoring Terry's status. Alec removed his oxygen mask and sat on Terry's other side, holding her hand. "Harry..."

"We're losing her." He blinked furiously to hold back tears at the thought of losing Terry while Freddy was still in a coma.

Alec shook his head, pushing back his hood so he could run his fingers through his hair. "No, we can't. Not now. Not—"

"I can't do anything for her _here_ ," Harry replied, still monitoring Terry's condition. "She needs to be on the _Hyperion_."

Shaking his head again, Alec set his jaw. "SAM, options?"

"If I had access to her biological systems, I could keep her stable until we reach the _Hyperion_ ," SAM answered promptly, as if he'd been waiting for Alec to ask.

Harry stared at his lover. "Alec, that'd mean making her a Pathfinder."

"Are there any other options, SAM?" Alec asked, staring down at Terry, so still and quiet.

It took barely a moment for SAM to reply: "None, Pathfinder. Her heart has stopped and her brain is shutting down."

"Dammit!" Harry scrambled to remove her chest armor so he could begin doing chest compressions. "We're... not... losing... her...!"

When he finished that set of compressions, Alec was ready to breathe into Terry's mouth. While Harry started the next set of compressions, Alec said, "SAM, transfer partial Pathfinder status to Terry Ryder, enough to give you the necessary access to her biological systems so you can save her. Authorization: Alec Ryder, Human Pathfinder."

"Acknowledged. Beginning transfer," SAM calmly responded.

Cursing, Harry stopped and lifted his omni-tool to monitor Terry as SAM began to do... something. "Shit, that might not have been a good idea."

"What do you mean?" Alec peered over Harry's shoulder at the screen.

Harry hardly noticed that the shuttle had landed. "Her heart is beating again, but her brain activity is all over the place. The connection is too much for her."

"SAM's been keeping me apprised," Lexi told them as the hatch opened and they slid the gurney out. Terry's entire body convulsed and she'd have fallen off the gurney if she hadn't been secured to it. "She's seizing. We need to get her to SAM node."

They rushed to the tram with Terry. Alec, Liam, and Cora crowded onto the car with them. "SAM, status?"

"My connection to Terry's implant increased too quickly," SAM explained as Terry weakly lifted a hand from where it rested on her stomach.

Harry could see that her eyes were open, but they were distant and unfocused. He caught her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Suggestions?"

"I recommend a hardwire connection," SAM replied. "It will ease the strain on her systems and allow me to synchronize with her implant without risking further seizures."

Lexi nodded, her expression tense. "Do it."

"Over here." Alec opened the port and pulled out what they needed.

Harry hadn't worked much with implants before the Andromeda Initiative, but Alec had, so he was the one who set up the hard wire connection. A tense silence reigned as Lexi and Harry both monitored Terry with their omni-tools. After a small eternity, SAM announced, "Terry is stable now and fast asleep."

"Thank god." Harry's shoulders slumped.

Just as they began to breathe easier, Lexi's omni-tool chimed an alert. When she answered it, a technician reported, "Dr. T'Perro, Freddy Ryder's showing signs of increased brain activity."

"I'll be right there." Lexi replied, sounding concerned. "Harry, Pathfinder?"

Alec nodded, his hands folded behind his back. Harry would have bet good money that Alec's hands were shaking. "Of course I'm coming."

"Someone needs to stay with Terry," Harry pointed out, reluctant to leave Terry, but her brother needed him now.

Liam raised a hand. "I'll stay and let you know if anything changes."

"Thanks, Kosta." Alec clapped Liam's shoulder and followed Lexi from the room.

While Cora followed the others, Harry lingered a few moments. "Terry has bad dreams sometimes, Liam. Just so you know."

"Thanks, Doc." Liam punched his shoulder. "I have bad dreams sometimes, too. It's all good."

Nodding, Harry followed the others from SAM node, preparing himself for the next crisis. _So much for an easy start..._

*

"Hey guys, get to SAM node. Terry's awake," Liam reported via comms. Alec and Freddy dropped their circular argument and headed there, anxious to see her. Cora and Lexi followed close behind them.

When they reached SAM node, Terry was sitting up, looking a little tired, but awake all the same. She waved weakly when she saw them. "Hey."

"Terry." Freddy barely choked her name out as he stumbled forward and pulled her into a tight hug, his shoulders shaking.

She hugged her brother back, gripping his shirt tightly. Alec, unwilling to express too much emotion in front of others, especially people under his command, rested a hand on Terry's shoulder, squeezing gently. His voice was gruffer than usual as he fought to keep it steady. "I'm glad you're all right, Terry."

"Freddy, please," Lexi requested gently, clearly wanting to do her job.

He reluctantly sat back so Lexi could check Terry. As she did, Alec awkwardly told her, "You were clinically dead for twenty-two seconds. We had to-- That is, SAM had to--"

"The Pathfinder authorized partial transfer of Pathfinder protocols to you, Terry, so I could save you," SAM interjected when Alec mutely appealed to the AI, unable to bring himself to articulate everything that had happened on Habitat 7.

Terry stared up at him, violet eyes wide, stunned by the announcement. Cora cleared her throat after a brief, uncomfortable silence. "Now that Terry's awake, I'm sure Captain Dunn would like to set course for the Nexus and find out what's going on."

"Yes, of course." Alec nodded his agreement with the plan. After a moment, Freddy nodded, too. He'd only been against it because Terry hadn't woken up yet.

The others filed out, Lexi last of all. "You need to rest, Terry."

"She will," Freddy assured her.

Reluctantly, Lexi left. Alone with his children, Alec finally hugged Terry. After a few moments of sitting stiffly in his arms, Terry relaxed and slowly brought her arms up to hug him back. His voice rougher now, Alec whispered, "We almost lost you."

"We _did_ lose her, for about thirty seconds," Freddy corrected, rubbing Terry's back.

SAM interjected then, as precise as ever, "22 seconds, Freddy."

"The point is, you were clinically dead," Alec replied, wrapping an arm around Freddy's shoulders. "And SAM brought you back to us."

Terry leaned back so she could look up at Alec. "What did SAM mean by a partial transfer of Pathfinder protocols?"

"Yeah, Dad." Freddy eyed Alec curiously. "You never did explain that."

Clearing his throat, Alec straightened up and moved to the door. "I should--"

"Dad." Terry's voice stopped him in his tracks and he had to swallow hard. _She sounds just like her mother sometimes._ "What aren't you telling us?"

He sighed and turned to face his children. "In order for SAM to save Terry, he needed more access to her biological systems. The only way to do that was to make her a Pathfinder."

"What?!" Terry's jaw dropped and she could only stare at him.

Freddy squeezed her hand. "You're saying we have _two_ human pathfinders?"

"It was the only way to save you, Terry." Alec crouched in front of her, wishing he'd had the chance to consult with her. "I couldn't lose you."

She stared at him in silence for several moments. Then her face crumpled and she began to cry. Freddy wrapped his arms around Terry and she curled into him, sobbing. A little hesitantly, Alec squeezed Terry's shoulder again and left the twins alone. Cora waited nearby when he emerged from SAM node. "Is everything all right, sir?"

"It's a lot for Terry to process," he replied, wishing for a moment that he had something to occupy his hands like when he used to tinker with SAM.

He started towards his quarters, desperate for some privacy. Unfortunately, Cora fell into step with him. "Sir--"

"Harper, we've had a horrible start here in Andromeda." He tried to keep his voice gentle, but he didn't think he succeeded. "I doubt it will get any easier. Why don't you go get some rest?"

She stared at him for a long few seconds before nodding. "I-- yes, sir."

He finally made it to his quarters and slumped back against the door with a deep sigh. From the computer terminal, Harry asked, "Terry's finally awake?"

"Yes, and Freddy's with her," Alec stood up and began to remove his armor.

"That's good." Harry got up and helped Alec. "How'd she take the news?"

Alec gripped Harry's shoulders as he removed Alec's boots. "She was surprised, of course."

"She cried when Alec told her why he authorized the partial transfer of Pathfinder protocols," SAM clarified as Harry tugged off Alec's socks.

Harry nodded, wrinkling his nose at the smell of Alec's socks. "I'm not surprised. Tears are sort of a release valve for humans when their emotions are too much for them."

"That's a better explanation than I could have given," Alec replied, partially unzipping his jumpsuit so he didn't feel like he was choking.

Harry chuckled, leading Alec over to the bed. "I'm a doctor. I'd _better_ know the answer to that sort of question."

"Good point." Alec helped Harry out of his gloves and tunic. He sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. "How's the rest of the team?"

Harry sighed as well, running his fingers through his hair and sitting down beside Alec. "Fisher's broken leg and Hayes's gunshot wound means they may not be able to continue on the Pathfinder team, depending on what we find on the Nexus."

"Damn." Alec scrubbed his eyes with the tips of his fingers. "Have we had any word from Jien Garson, SAM?"

SAM's reply wasn't encouraging. "None at all since the message she sent right after she woke up from stasis."

"That's not encouraging," Harry mused, slipping his arm around Alec's waist.

He leaned into Harry's strength with a sigh. "What's the status of the sleepers?"

"All stasis pods are fully operational and safe," SAM replied promptly. "Elizabeth Reilly is still safely in stasis. Terry and Freddy are still in SAM node."

Harry shifted so he could press his forehead against Alec's. "Are you sure bringing Ellen was a good idea, Alec?"

"Maybe not, but we weren't finding any solutions for her in the Milky Way." Alec lifted his hand to rest on the back of Harry's neck.

Sighing heavily, Harry reciprocated the gesture. "I suppose. When do you want to tell the twins about her?"

"I have no idea," Alec admitted, uncertain of what their reactions would be. Harry had been shocked when he told him that Ellen was still alive, albeit in stasis.

Coaxing Alec to lay down, Harry curled around him. "Well, for now, we all need rest, since we have no idea what's waiting for us on the Nexus."

"Yes, dear." Alec settled comfortably in Harry's arms, very grateful that they'd both survived their arrival in Andromeda. _I have a feeling settling in Andromeda isn't going to be as easy as we'd hoped.  
_

*

Freddy gladly held Terry as she cried, rubbing her back and humming their mother's favorite lullaby. After several minutes, her sobs gradually stopped and she sat quietly in the circle of his arms. "Feel better now?"

"A little." She scrubbed at her eyes and straightened up. "Thanks, Freddy."

He smiled and gently wiped away a tear track she'd missed. "Always, Terry."

"What happened, exactly?" she asked as she reluctantly laid down with her head in his lap. "I remember my helmet shattering and trying to breathe. Then Dad replaced my helmet with his and I blacked out soon after. How did _he_ survive?"

Freddy smiled, undoing her braids and re-doing them as he talked. "The others are the best people to ask, since they were down there with you. From what they said, Dad used his emergency oxygen mask, and then yours while he waited for the shuttle to get to you two. When Uncle Harry couldn't do anything more to help you, that's when Dad asked SAM for options."

"Why did he need that kind of access to my biological systems?" Terry asked, lifting her arm to look at it in the light of SAM node.

They both started when SAM answered the question, "By granting me access to your biological processes, I was able to restart them in a way that neither Dr. Carlyle nor Dr. T'Perro could because I had more precise access."

"Huh." Freddy tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Do you have that kind of access to Dad's biological systems? Or is it only Terry?"

While he resumed braiding her hair, SAM answered the question, "Just Terry. She's the one who needed my help."

"Does it bother you?" Terry asked, peering up at her brother.

He frowned down at her, carefully tying off the last braid. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you and Cora were the ones who went through the Pathfinder training," Terry explained, looking worried. "But, since I'm already a sort of Pathfinder, the job'll probably go to me when Dad retires. If he decides to retire."

Freddy shook his head. "Not at all. It saved your life and I honestly think you'd make a great Pathfinder if something keeps Dad from doing it."

"Do you think Cora will be hurt or upset?" Terry wondered, shifting to stretch out.

He stretched out beside her, holding her hand. "I can't say. When we trained together, she didn't talk much about personal stuff. It didn't give me a good read on her."

"Career military?" Terry asked, remembering what she'd gleaned from the dossiers of the Pathfinder team.

Freddy nodded. "Asari commandos. I understand that you saw her biotics on Habitat 7."

"Yeah, it was amazing." Terry shifted to curl into Freddy. "I'm tired."

He kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms around her. "Go ahead and sleep. I'll be here."

"Thanks, Freddy."

"Always, Terry."

*

The moment he saw the Nexus on the _Hyperion's_ forward display, Alec _knew_ they'd had their share of problems. Everything they saw and heard on their way to Operations just confirmed Alec's suspicions. Liam and Freddy peeled off to talk with crew people (security and technicians, respectively). Alec, Terry, and Cora continued with Tiran Kandros. "You should know: our command structure has been fractured. Some of us are filling in for leaders who died." Kandros paused as two crew members hurried past them. "...and no one was expecting an ark to finally show up."

"Docking procedures are green across the board," a crewperson reported as they finally reached the top of the ramp.

The crew continued working as the four of them approached. A salarian Alec only vaguely remembered walked over to greet them. "The crew of the _Hyperion_..."

"Good luck." Kandros muttered, patting Alec's shoulder before turning and leaving.

The salarian continued towards them, followed by Foster Addison. "I don't know if you remember me: I'm Jarun Tann, the Director of the Initiative. You have no idea how much your arrival means to us."

"Not as much as it means to us," Alec told him, remembering him now. A paper pusher, he had no idea why someone like him would have made the trip to Andromeda. "We had one hell of a time getting here. Nice to see some friendly faces."

Addison stepped forward, looking worried. "Hungry faces. Any supplies you can spare would be greatly appreciated."

"I'm sure you remember Foster Addison, Pathfinder Ryder," Tann added, probably more for Terry and Cora's benefit than his. "She oversees Colonial Affairs."

Alec nodded and took the chance to ask, "Where's Jien Garson?"

"She... died," Addison told them, glancing down for a moment. "I'm sure Kandros told you we were hit by the Scourge."

He nodded, folding his arms across his chest, remembering how they'd almost lost some of their passengers to it. "We've had our own run-ins with it."

"We lost several members of the leadership as a result, including her," Tann explained briskly. "Thus, the responsibility of leadership fell to me."

Alec nodded again, wishing for more information. If he pressed at this point, it would look suspicious, so he let the topic go for the moment. Taking a deep breath, Addison told them, "None of the golden worlds panned out. Every last one is a bust. And there's been no word from the other arks."

"What happened to them?" Cora asked, looking concerned as they walked over to a display of the cluster.

Tann shook his head briefly. "Unknown. Our supplies are nearly depleted. Rationing bought us some time, but even that's running out."

"We need to find more resources," Addison added, tapping her fingers on the edge of the console. "But that takes people, and we can't wake them up--"

Alec finished the thought, feeling as if a weight was settling onto his shoulders, "--until they have somewhere to live. A golden world."

"Now more than ever, we _need_ a Pathfinder." Addison looked intently at Alec.

He turned when Tann added, "It now falls to you, Ryder. Are you up to the task?"

"Even though Habitat 7 didn't work out, I _will_ find a way," Alec told them firmly, drawing himself to his full height and dropping his hands to his sides.

Addison met his eyes grimly. "We don't have a safety net here, Alec. We can't afford mistakes right now."

"That's no way to treat a guest," a new voice interrupted. As he turned to face the new speaker--a krogan--Alec caught a glimpse of anger in Terry's eyes as she looked at Addison. She joined them, looking very personable for a krogan. "I'm Nakmor Kesh, superintendent of this station. I hope they haven't scared you off already."

Before Alec could reply, Addison responded, looking peeved for a moment. "It's nothing personal, but we're running out of time and options."

"At least Pathfinder Ryder is willing to try," Kesh replied with more equanimity than Alec had expected. "We could use a fresh perspective."

"You've heard my concerns," Addison replied, trying to sound composed. "I'll leave you to it."

As she walked away, up towards Colonial Affairs, Tann turned to the rest of them. "We're all feeling the pressure. Let's have a private word in my office, Ryder. We'll discuss giving you a scout ship." He gestured to Cora and Terry. "I'm happy to work out the details with one of your associates?"

"Go ahead, Harper," Alec told Cora as Tann walked away towards where Pathfinder Hall was meant to be. "We'll catch up shortly."

She nodded and followed in Tann's wake. Kesh offered Alec and Terry a genuine smile. "Welcome to the Nexus."

"Thanks for standing up for us there," Terry replied, sounding relieved as they took turns shaking Kesh's hand.

Kesh nodded, glancing between the two of them. "Hope's in short supply here. What little we can find should have a chance to bloom."

"Ma'am, the _Hyperion's_ core is now online," a crewperson interjected the next moment.

She led them over to the console with a wave of one hand. "Let me show you something." They looked out at a closed bulkhead. "An hour ago, that was all dark. But with the power from your ship--" the bulkhead slowly retracted, allowing the starlight to filter in. "You're keeping the lights on." She turned to them once again. "You have my vote."

"And when the power runs out?" Alec asked, thinking of the worst-case scenario.

Kesh only told him, "You'd best go talk to Director Tann. Make sure that doesn't happen." Walking away, she added, "And don't be shy--come see me when you have a chance."

"This--It's so much worse, Dad," Terry murmured once they were alone. "I don't think I could have done this on my own."

Alec pressed his lips together, conscious of the fact that they were surrounded by strangers. "I'm here, Terry, and even if I wasn't, you'd have others to support you: Freddy, Cora, Liam."

"And Kesh at least." Terry sighed, gripping the railing in front of them tightly. "Maybe Kandros. But Addison and Tann? They don't seem to believe in you and you _are_ a Pathfinder. I shudder to think how they'd have felt if it'd been _me_."

He stifled a sigh and allowed himself to wrap an arm around Terry's shoulders, squeezing gently. "We'll show them, Terry. We'll find a home for the entire Initiative, humans and aliens alike."

"Yes, we will." Terry smiled at him, fierce and determined. "Let's go talk to Tann."

Keeping his arm wrapped around Terry's shoulders, Alec walked with her to Tann's office. _I'll have to wait to find out what happened to Jien. Establishing colonies is the priority right now._

*

As he wandered the Nexus, Liam spotted Freddy standing at one of the observation windows, staring out at the unfamiliar stars. After a moment's thought, he wandered over to stand near him. "Hey, Freddy."

"Hi, Liam." Freddy glanced at him with a faint smile, and then looked back at the stars. "So this is home now."

He nodded, drinking in the view. "Yeah. A little scary, but exhilarating, too."

"That's one way to put it." Freddy laughed softly.

Shifting to face the youngest Ryder, Liam asked quietly, "Are you all right?"

"You're asking _me_?" Freddy glanced at him with raised eyebrows. "I'm not the one who came close to death. Unless you count my stasis pod almost being fried, but I was asleep for that."

Glancing around to double check that no one was nearby, Liam said, "Yeah, but you almost lost your dad and sister. That can't be easy."

"I suppose not." Looking back at the stars, Freddy's jaw tensed. After a long silence, he sighed. "Terry's my best friend, Liam. Losing her would have _hurt_. Dad-- there's a lot we need to resolve with him. I'm glad we still have that chance."

Liam nodded. He'd seen for himself the distance between Alec Ryder and his children. There seemed to be more between him and Terry, but that wasn't his business. "I don't know about dealing with distant parents or any siblings, but I have a good ear."

"Thanks, Liam." Freddy offered him a weak smile.

"Anytime." He clapped Freddy's shoulder and started to move away.

Freddy caught his arm. "You don't even know _why_ I'm thanking you."

"Doesn't matter." He grinned and shrugged.

Shaking his head, Freddy told him, "Thanks for checking in with me and listening."

"We're Team Pathfinder now, Freddy," Liam reminded him. "We've got to look out for each other."

Freddy nodded and released his arm. "Yes, we do."

"See you." Liam bumped his fist against Freddy's and wandered off, nodding to Terry as she passed him on her way to her brother. Glancing back, he saw them hug each other tightly in greeting and begin talking in quiet voices. _Go Team Pathfinder._

*

As he reviewed his notes on the injuries and casualties of their expedition to Habitat 7, Harry saw Alec walk into the cryo bay. Fisher, Greer, and Hayes all sat up straighter on their beds at the sight of the Pathfinder. Alec took time to speak with each of them, presumably asking about Fisher's leg and Hayes' gunshot wound. Their injuries meant both were confined to the _Hyperion_ for observation and unable to join Alec, as Harry had predicted. Alec spoke to Greer last, who happened to be sitting on the bed nearby. "I received your request for a transfer. Are you sure?"

"Quite sure," Greer replied, sounding a little trepidatious. "Kirkland was my friend and... losing him... it made me realize that I'm not cut out for this."

Alec gripped Greer's shoulder firmly. "We'll never forget his sacrifice. It's a brave thing, risking your life for the greater good."

"Yeah." Greer took a deep, shaky breath. "Just seems unfair. We barely got here."

Giving his shoulder a firm squeeze, Alec told him, "Understood. Habitat 7 was a nasty wake up call in more ways than one. You take care of yourself."

"Thank you, sir." Greer looked relieved as Alec moved away, finally joining Harry.

Without being asked, Harry handed Alec a datapad. It contained a more thorough update on the status of the colonists still in stasis than the one SAM had provided. Alec handed the datapad back to Harry once he finished. "Thanks. What's the prognosis for Fisher and Hayes?"

"They should be able to help with colonization efforts once they've recovered," Harry told him, checking another datapad. "They're just not recovered enough to leave right this moment."

Alec nodded, scrubbing his fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. "Understood. They're good people, I'm sure they'll do fine wherever they end up."

"Who will you get to replace them?" Harry asked quietly. He already knew who was taking his place on the Pathfinder team. "Clearly, the Nexus has had their share of troubles, too."

His lover shrugged, looking troubled for a moment. "I don't know. I'll make do with Terry, Freddy, Cora, and Liam for now. Maybe I'll find others out there to fill out the team."

"Alec, we almost lost you and Terry and we _did_ lose Kirkland." Harry kept his voice low, unwilling to upset Greer further. "Andromeda has not been kind, to us or to the Nexus."

Alec gave him a sly look. "I didn't know you cared, Harry."

"Ass." Harry muttered, nudging Alec's shoulder with his. Few people knew about their relationship at present and they felt it best to keep it that way for now. "Just, be careful out there. You and the twins are all I have here."

Sobering, Alec nodded. "I will, Harry, don't worry."

*

Gil glanced up from his console in engineering when the door slid open to admit one of the Ryders. "Welcome to engineering. Gil Brodie at your service."

"Nice to meet you, Gil." Ryder shook his hand. "I'm Freddy, the best-looking Ryder."

Gil laughed, though he had to admit that he agreed with Freddy. "What brings you here? Just slumming?"

"What do you mean, 'slumming'?" Freddy asked, arching his eyebrows. "This is the most important part of any ship."

Gil grinned, liking him more already. "Damn straight."

"In all seriousness, I wanted a closer look at the ODSY drive core." Freddy waved towards it with one hand. "I never got to look at the one on the Hyperion."

Pleased, Gil brought up the specs on his console. "I wasn't involved in the design process myself, but she's quite a beauty, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is." Freddy moved to stand beside Gil, looking at the console. "You got her flight-ready in just the time since we got to the Nexus?"

Gil nodded, even more pleased that Freddy recognized what an accomplishment that was. "Yep! Well, we all did: me, Kallo, Suvi, Vetra. We'd almost given up hope that a Pathfinder would show up."

"We've heard that you were in dire straits," Freddy kept his eyes on the console, but Gil saw his faint smile fade.

Punching Freddy's shoulder, Gil told him, "Yeah, but now we have a Pathfinder. Everything's going to be fine."

"Yes, of course." Freddy turned to him with a smile that may have been a little forced. "Why don't you walk me through what makes the Tempest different from the starships back home?"

Gil grinned, happy that one of the Ryders would be able to talk shop with him.

*

"I couldn't help overhearing," Alec began as he entered the medbay a few moments after Terry left. "Has Terry started seeing colors?"

Lexi hesitated to answer. On the one hand, Alec was Terry's father. On the other hand, she was an adult who hadn't given Lexi permission to tell anyone. She met his gaze calmly. "It's not my place to say, Pathfinder."

"Fair enough." Alec smiled ruefully. "Serves me right." He shook himself briefly. "I was headed this way to welcome you aboard the _Tempest_. I know it wasn't your original plan."

She offered a rueful smile of her own. "Thank you, Pathfinder. Now, hold still."

"Ow!" Alec flinched when she took a blood sample.

Lexi grimaced. "Sorry. I'm still trying to get my bearings, looking after the Pathfinder instead of waking up the colonists."

"We couldn't be in better hands," Alec told her firmly. "Harry wouldn't have recommended you to take his place if he didn't think you could handle it."

She nodded, starting to feel calmer about her new position. "I always hoped to work in the field, but everything's happening so quickly."

"Ellen--" He paused to clear his throat, and then continued, "she always tried to focus on the positives of a situation."

Lexi considered that, wondering what positives she could find in their situation. "I guess this is my opportunity to study alien species firsthand. Getting a kett specimen aboard the _Hyperion_ would be difficult, but here..."

"Why would you--" Alec stopped short and snapped his fingers. "Of course! You specialize in alien anatomy. That's why you were on the _Hyperion_."

She nodded, relieved that he'd remembered that. "I'd like a kett specimen because an examination or autopsy could teach us potential weaknesses, average lifespan..."

"Right." Alec gave her a wry look. "I'm pretty sure I can guarantee you a corpse at least. So far, none have stopped to talk."

Lexi chuckled. "A live specimen _would_ be better, but I'm not greedy." She shrugged. "Just something to think about."

"Yes, something to think about." Alec nodded to her collection of blood samples. "Are you missing any samples besides mine?"

She placed his with the others, mentally inventorying them as she did. "Yes, actually. Freddy hasn't come by yet. Harry warned me that wrangling _one_ of you Ryders is bad enough."

"Bad memories," he admitted, sadness flashing in his eyes for a few moments. "That's no excuse, though. SAM, where's Freddy hiding?"

Lexi hid a smile at the AI's response: "He is not 'hiding' anywhere, Alec. He is currently in engineering with Mr. Brodie."

"Should've known he'd end up there." Alec shook his head with a fond smile. "Please remind him that a check in with the medbay is _not_ optional."

SAM answered promptly, "He's on his way now."

"Thank you, Alec." Lexi smiled at him, and then quickly added. "And SAM."

Alec inclined his head slightly while SAM said, "You're welcome, Dr. T'Perro."

*

As Terry approached the bridge, Suvi noticed her and stood up from her seat. "Ah, Pathfinder! It's so wonderful to meet you. I'm Dr. Suvi Anwar, assigned to act as liaison between your crew and the Nexus science team."

"Ah, I'm not the Pathfinder. That's my dad." Terry shook her hand, only briefly surprised by the fact that Suvi wore gloves. Most humans did when they worked with other aliens. Skin-on-skin contact could make things difficult. "It's good to have you on the team."

Suvi grimaced. "Oh, sorry, my mistake." She rallied, smiling brightly. "I can't wait to get to work. There hasn't been much to do so far, unfortunately. I've studied all the planetary scans. I've even had some hands-on experience with Heleus soil samples. If you want, I'll send you my analysis on the native bacteria and microfauna. Sixty pages."

"That's a lot of pages. About dirt." Terry mentally kicked herself for that. It almost sounded like she was making fun of Suvi's work.

Ducking her head bashfully, Suvi told her, "Oh, you don't have to be kind. I know it's barely more than a summary." Terry stifled a chuckle at the thought of sixty pages being a 'summary'. "Anyway, I've waited months to get out there to see Heleus. It's why I joined the Initiative. The Milky Way was just a corner of a vast universe. A corner of a tiny corner. We're the ones who got to step out of that corner. It's incredible."

"The first time I handled a Prothean artifact, I was hooked." She understood what Suvi meant. It was a relief in a way. "It was so... alien. I just knew: there's more out there, and I want to see all of it."

She was rewarded with another bright smile. "I totally know what you mean!"

"So will you be joining us on missions?" Oh, Terry hoped so.

Suvi gave a weak chuckle, ducking her head again. "Oh, that's funny. Me. Out there. With the guns and the danger and everything."

"I'm good with guns and danger." Between her work as a peacekeeper and on Habitat 7, Terry was certain she could do what she promised. "I could teach you. And make sure you're okay out there."

At that, Suvi seemed to light up. "Really? Maybe one day, when things are more settled. I couldn't imagine a better teacher. Anyway, I've just received some instructions from the science team, and I really should go over them. Later then?"

"See you later." Terry reluctantly stepped back to leave Suvi to her work. She paused at the door to look back at Suvi and stared when she realized Suvi's hair wasn't gray anymore. It was a completely different color from blue. _That's-- wow. Maybe I should have talked to Suvi first._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't initially _plan_ to include the triad relationship between Alec, Ellen, and Harry, but they insisted.


	2. Third Time's the Charm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third attempt at settling Eos should work out now that a Pathfinder's on the job. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to leave the twins on the ship, but neither did I want the other squad members to miss out, so they all get to go!

As he approached the armory, Alec caught the sound of Vetra talking to someone, presumably via a communicator: "I'll talk to someone, maybe they could use you on comms."

"So you get to be with the Pathfinder, and I have to watch a radio?" Alec suppressed a smile. That sounded like a teenager.

Vetra's reply sounded more like Ellen talking to the twins when they were little: "The radio or help Kesh with cleanup." As the doors slid open, he heard a groan from the other person. Vetra glanced at him with a distracted, "Oh, hey Pathfinder."

"The Pathfinder's there? Let me say hi!" He couldn't stop another smile at the enthusiasm. _Definitely_ a teenager.

Vetra gave an exasperated sigh that Alec had heard more than once from Terry when she and Freddy were teenagers: "Fine, but don't embarrass me. Ryder, this is Sid, my sister. Sid, Ryder."

"Let me guess: little sister?" Alec raised his eyebrows, more amused by Sid's enthusiasm.  
Her response just amused him even more: "Who you calling little?"

"Look, kiddo, gotta go." Vetra spoke quickly, as if Sid had done exactly what Vetra hadn't wanted her to do.

As Vetra reached for the button to end the call, Sid said, as quickly as she could, "Wait, Ryder, I just wanted to know if--"

"So, I know it feels like I just jumped aboard your ship without explanation..." Vetra turned her chair towards him and stood up, towering over him like most turians did.

Alec shrugged, straightening up from leaning against a stack of crates. He was open to hearing her out. He'd figured she had a reason for wanting to join the crew and looked forward to hearing it. "Now's as good a time as any."

"I think..." she paused, and then shook her head, pacing as she continued. "No, I _know_ that I can be of use here. I know everyone on the crew. Even the actuators Gil prefers for the ship. Better, I know how to get my hands on them. With me around, your crew's going to be at their best." She stopped and turned to face him as he joined her. "We've been failing for months, Ryder. Now that we have you, we have a chance out here."

He nodded, understanding a little better why Vetra had decided to join the _Tempest_ crew. "We need people with skills, and it sounds like you've got many. Welcome aboard." He offered her his hand.

"Yep, making deals to get the things you want, shooting at the things you don't. That's me." She shook his hand. "We all have a personal stake in this. If it keeps going the way it's been, we're all dead."

He hid a shudder at the reminder of what had almost happened to Terry. "That's the last thing we want, so I'll do my best to keep that from happening."

"Of course." Vetra nodded, releasing his hand. "I should track down a lead for Gil's actuators. Back channels, you know? We'll chat later?"

Alec watched her sit down and turn back to her terminal. Satisfied, he stepped out of the armory and thought for a moment. He'd talked with Cora and Liam already. She was understandably upset now that the reality of Terry effectively being his second-in-command and eventual successor was sinking in. She'd promised it wouldn't affect her professionalism and he believed her. Liam was more upset about the lack of success at establishing outposts. Gil had promised that he was quite capable of keeping the _Tempest_ at peak performance. Alec decided to head to the bridge, nodding to Terry as she slid down one ladder to the bridge while he climbed up the other one. When he stepped onto the bridge, Suvi Anwar looked up, "Oh, Pathfinder!"

"As you were, Dr. Anwar," he told her when she started to get up. "You're our science officer?"

She nodded, keeping her eyes on her console. "Yes, sir. I was just explaining that to Terry. I'm more use to you here on the _Tempest_ than out in the field."

"Perhaps," Alec nodded, resting his hand on the Pathfinder console for a moment. "What do you make of Andromeda so far?"

Suvi looked up with shining eyes. "It's amazing, sir! So much to discover. I'm so glad you're here so we can learn more."

"Glad to be of assistance." His heart ached at Suvi's enthusiasm. For a moment, she reminded him of Ellen. "Excuse me."

Alec moved over to the pilot's console where Kallo was busy making tiny course corrections. He glanced up only briefly. "Hello, Pathfinder. Glad you stopped by. You'll pardon me if I keep an eye on our vector?"

"Not at all." Alec folded his arms across his chest, glancing between Kallo and the view on their forward display. "I understand you helped design the _Tempest_?"

Kallo nodded. "Test pilot, mostly. Plunging through the Nemean Abyss was _almost_ a preparation for the Scourge." He glanced up at Alec for a moment. "Of course, it took a whole team to build the _Tempest_. I was the only one to come to Heleus, though."

"Why did you?" Alec looked at him curiously, casually bracing himself against the end of Kallo's console, out of his way.

It took Kallo a moment to answer, as if he was trying to decide how to put it in words, "What can I say? We poured our hearts into a ship that wouldn't realize her potential until Andromeda. I could've stood on shore and waved goodbye... or took the leap to see how it all turned out."

"I get it. Like leaving a story half-finished," Alec replied with a somewhat-forced smile. He hated knowing about the Reapers when no one else did. _What happened to you, Jien?_ He was distracted from his thoughts by Kallo describing a few memories of the design team and couldn't help raising his eyebrows. "I know salarians have photographic memories, but that--"

Kallo nodded, looking both pleased and pained. "Yes, apparently mine's unusually sharp. Like my past is still happening."

"Will it be a distraction?" Alec wondered, not sure he could handle remembering Ellen more clearly than he already did.

This time, Kallo shook his head. "No, I know the difference between the past and the present."

"Good." Alec nodded and patted the back of Kallo's seat. "Keep up the good work. We'll talk more later." With that, he decided to check his e-mail and rest a bit before they reached Eos.

*

Suvi finished going through the instructions from the science team and decided she needed a break. She headed down to the galley to make herself a cup of tea. Lexi sat at the table, nibbling at something and reading a datapad. "Oh! Dr. T'Perro!"

"Hello, Suvi." Lexi smiled distractedly at her. "How are you settling in?"

She took a few moments to fill the kettle with water and start it boiling. "Very well. There's so much data to review just from the _Hyperion's_ trip to the Nexus."

"There'll be more to come," Lexi reminded her as she dug out a mug and prepared it for the water. "Do you think you'll get along all right with everyone on the crew?"

Shrugging, Suvi sat down to wait for her water to boil. "I hope so. I already know Kallo and Gil a little. You and the others, I've just met."

"Hey, Lexi, Suvi." Terry hesitated in the doorway to the galley. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Suvi shook her head while Lexi answered. "Not at all, Terry. You've changed your shirt."

"Yeah, I like this color better than blue." Terry replied, moving to the pantry to retrieve some sort of food. "No offense, Lexi."

The doctor laughed while Suvi hastily got up to turn off the whistling kettle. "None taken. I'd be worried if _everyone_ likes blue."

"It's a pretty color," Suvi offered, pouring water into her tea. "Goes with your eyes."

Terry had a bright smile on her face when Suvi turned to face her. "Thanks, Suvi. It's part of the reason I picked it." She leaned against the counter, munching on the biscuits she'd pulled out of the cupboard. "So, you see colors?"

"Only since I was woken from cryosleep," Suvi explained, feeling her heart thrum in her chest. "And only reds at first. It was a bit of a shock the first time I looked in the mirror. No wonder people remarked on the color of my hair all the time."

Lexi chuckled, finishing her snack. "It's very eye-catching. If you two will excuse me."

She slipped out of the galley and down the corridor to the medbay. "I think it's a very pretty color. Prettier than mine, anyway."

"It's such a rich black, though," Suvi observed, looking at it with interest. "Like the darkness of space between stars."

"It's black." Terry shrugged, and then offered the packet of biscuits to Suvi. "Want one?"

Though Suvi wanted to take one, as much to have something to do with her hands as to try it, she hesitated. "What kind are those?"

"Shortbread." Terry grinned. "One of the few things Mom could make from scratch without ruining it completely." The grin faded. "After she-- I started eating them because I felt like she was still with me when I did."

She stared at Terry, surprised by the admission. It was surprisingly personal. Her timer beeped and she busied herself with preparing her tea and took a deep breath of the aroma. "This was my mother's favorite tea. I think of her when I smell it." After a moment, she took one of the biscuits Terry offered and extended the tea to her.

Wrapping her hands around Suvi's on the cup, Terry leaned in to take a breath. "It smells very good. It's nice to have that connection to the Milky Way, isn't it?"

"It is." Suvi took a bite of the shortbread and sighed softly at the delicious buttery flavor. "I hope our mothers are proud of us."

Terry nodded, letting go of the cup to brush her hand across her eyes. "Yeah. Dad said she would be, not too long--"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean--" Suvi set the cup down on the counter and pulled Terry into a hug. The other woman stiffened at the contact. Just when she thought she'd miscalculated, Terry relaxed into the hug and even returned it. Suvi pressed her face into Terry's shoulder, a little surprised by the height difference between them. 

She didn't have any idea how long they stood like that before an amused voice commented from the doorway. "Hey, no funny business in the galley. People _eat_ in here, you know."

"Oh, bite me, Freddy" Terry reluctantly stepped back from Suvi and turned to leave. When he tried to steal a biscuit, she moved the package out of his reach. "Nope. You have your own."

He turned to Suvi once Terry was gone, his eyebrows raised. "Everything all right?"

"Yes, everything's fine." Suvi popped the rest of her biscuit in her mouth and picked up her tea. "Excuse me."

As she walked past him to return to her post, he asked, "Hey! How come you got a biscuit and I didn't?"

"Maybe because you have your own?" Suvi called over her shoulder before slipping onto the bridge and returning to her seat. She stared at her display in surprise. There were a _lot_ more colors than she remembered.

*

Cora raised her eyebrows when Terry sat down beside her while they ate the food that Freddy had prepared for them. She'd kept mostly to herself so far, preferring to stick close to her brother or father. After a quick internal debate over how to address her given her unusual position, Cora nodded politely to her, "Terry."

"Cora." Terry smiled shyly. After fidgeting for a bit, she asked, "Are we okay?"

She stared at Terry, confused by the question. "What do you mean?"

"I know you did the Pathfinder training with Freddy," Terry explained, toying with her food. "And you're my dad's second. Now I've kinda screwed it up."

Understanding now why Terry was so hesitant, Cora squeezed her arm gently. "You didn't _ask_ for it. Your dad made that choice to save you and I won't begrudge _any_ of you that."

"Thanks, Cora." Terry smiled again, relieved and pleased this time. "You still have more experience than me, so please feel free to speak up."

Cora nodded, touched by Terry's concern and earnestness. "Of course. I'll be glad to help. That's why I'm here."

"Great." Terry patted Cora's shoulder and got up, her plate still half-full.

She watched as Terry moved not towards Freddy, who was talking with their engineer, Gil Brodie, but towards Suvi Anwar, their scientific liaison, who was paying more attention to her omni-tool than to her food. After several moments, Suvi blinked and looked up at Terry. Cora couldn't hear Terry's question, but she assumed Terry was asking to join Suvi, who nodded and gestured to the empty spot beside her. Terry took the spot and they began talking quietly. Cora resumed eating, just enjoying the sense of camaraderie that was building amongst them.

*

Vetra was rather surprised that Alec decided to bring her along on Eos instead of Liam. She wasn't about to argue with a chance to show him what she could do. It was clear why he'd brought along both Terry and Freddy. The twins easily moved together behind their father, covering each other's blind spots without a word. Cora and Vetra brought up the rear, occasionally motioning to each other and gesturing to communicate. While Alec liberated the Nomad, Terry raised a hand, "I call shotgun."

"Nope, I'm younger, I get shotgun," Freddy retorted, poking Terry.

She squirmed and stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm older, so it should be me."

"I thought you two were grown adults?" Alec interjected in a mild voice, his fingers still moving on his omni-tool. "Should I start leaving you on the _Tempest_ in timeouts like your mother used to do when you were little?"

Both twins popped to attention, their expressions abruptly serious, saying in unison, "No, sir!"

"Good. Besides, neither of you gets shotgun." At that moment, Alec finished entering the access code for the storage unit and the Nomad slid out onto the sand. "Vetra does."

She stared at him, barely able to keep her mandibles from flaring. "What?"

"You're the tallest of us." Alec pointed out as the doors opened. "You'll be most comfortable in the front seat."

Vetra glanced between the Nomad and Alec. "Is that what they meant by shotgun?"

"It's a human term," Terry told her, violet eyes sparkling with humor. "For riding in the front passenger seat of a vehicle."

Cora, at a gesture from Alec, climbed up. "Let's go. We still have work to do."

"Ladies first," Freddy told Terry as Cora ducked into the Nomad.

Terry grinned and winked at him before climbing in as well. Freddy nodded to Vetra before climbing in after his sister. With all three in the backseat, the front seat clicked into place and Vetra gingerly climbed up, trying to fold her limbs in such a way that she could still see out the window. Alec climbed in last and studied the controls for a moment. "Okay, let's go investigate the signal that SAM found."

"Are you sure we should be investigating that, sir?" Vetra asked, bracing herself with one hand against the roof as the Nomad bounced over uneven terrain.

He nodded, keeping his eyes on the terrain in front of him. "You didn't see what that atmosphere processor we found on Habitat 7 could do. If the source of this signal is similar to that, it's certainly worth investigating."

"Hopefully, things will go better this time around," Freddy added lightly.

Glancing over her shoulder, Vetra saw that he had his arm around Terry's shoulders and pressed their foreheads together, whispering something she couldn't hear. She glanced at Cora, who met her eyes for a moment, and then shook her head. _Right, sensitive subject._

"Hmm, I think someone beat us here," Alec remarked once they got closer to the source of the signal. "Or perhaps those forcefields were erected by the colonists."

Freddy leaned forward between the seats, peering out the window. "Those are different from the forcefields we saw around the colony. More portable and not as durable."

"Wait, I think those went missing from the Nexus," Vetra remarked, using her visor to give her a closer look. "During the chaos of the mutiny."

Terry made a thoughtful sound. "It would seem we're not the only ones who're investigating."

"Perhaps we can exchange notes," Alec suggested as they rolled through the forcefield and he brought the Nomad to a stop.

They piled out of the Nomad and approached the structure carefully. Most of them had their weapons out. Freddy, however, kept his eyes on the scanner incorporated into his omni-tool. "There's other Initiative signatures here besides the forcefield. Some of them are above us."

"Climbing's my specialty," Terry remarked, holstering her weapon and approaching some scaffolding that stood nearby.

Freddy blanched and quickly turned away as she scrambled up easily, hardly using her jump jets at all. Alec had approached a console of some sort and scanned it. "There's some inputs missing from this."

"This is definitely Initiative equipment," Terry reported over their communicators.

Alec looked up towards her perch on top of the structure. "What sort of equipment?"

"Scanners." She grunted with effort. "Whoever put them here either had help or used biotics because these things are _heavy_."

Terry finished scanning whatever she'd found up there and jumped down to rejoin them rather than climbing down, landing in a crouch. Freddy looked panicked for a moment. "Oh, God, Terry. _Warn_ me next time."

"Sorry, Freddy." She straightened up and reached over to squeeze his arm apologetically. Then she turned to her father, all business. "I scanned some sort of glyphs up there. I think they were the missing inputs you mentioned."

Nodding, Alec turned back to the console and spread his hand out above it like he had before. His omni-tool lit up and the modules within the triangle shape began rippling. "Let's see if this works better than Habitat 7."

"Building connection," SAM reported as he worked. "I apologize for any discomfort. The system seems unstable."

Alec nodded, watching the readouts on his omni-tool. "This is different from before."

"We interfaced directly with the atmospheric processor," SAM reminded him. "That proved extremely hazardous." Vetra snuck another glance at the twins. Terry pressed her lips together and glanced away. Freddy rested his hand on her shoulder. _That's the **really** sensitive subject._ SAM continued on, "These structures could reveal its control center." After a few moments of tense silence, SAM added, "System remains unstable. Doubling our power input might accelerate the process."

Another nod from Alec. "Right, let's..."

"Wait!" A strange voice called, just as a blue and purple blur appeared from out of nowhere and crashed into Alec, knocking both of them to the ground.

The blur resolved into an asari with black smudged across her eyes sitting on top of Alec. The next moment, she had four weapons pointed at her. Freddy practically snarled at her, "Back up or we'll make you."

"Whoa!" The asari held up her hands to show that she wasn't armed. "Easy. You've come this far, just let it ride." At Freddy's nod, they lowered their weapons and she looked back at Alec, who seemed distinctly uncomfortable. "I've been studying this tech for months. I don't know how you activated those glyphs, but you have to let them cycle through their channels."

Sighing, Alec gently pushed her off of him. "All right, you made your point."

"Don't like being sat on, huh?" She grinned at him, unintimidated and scrambled to her feet while Terry helped Alec stand up. They introduced themselves and she told them her name was Peebee. After they fought the bots, Alec decided that they needed to investigate the other two monoliths. Peebee waved them off, staring intently at the console Alec had used.

Freddy hesitated at her side. "Will you be all right on your own?"

"I've been on my own for months, Ryder," she answered absently. "I'll be fine."

He sighed, looking annoyed. "My name is Freddy."

"Yeah, sure." She waved him off again.

Vetra watched Peebee for a moment while the others climbed into the Nomad. _Now I know where all that tech went. Bet she has one of the missing shuttles, too._ Amused, she trotted over to climb into the Nomad before they set off for the next monolith.

*

While Suvi didn't _intend_ to start a mudfight, she certainly didn't object to using the opportunity to let loose a little. It'd been a long, upsetting day spent cataloguing the losses of their first colony. The mudfight allowed them to relieve the stress and tension of the day. She wasn't surprised that the Ryder twins watched each other's backs, but she _was_ surprised that they included _her_ for some reason. The three of them stood in a tight triangle formation, throwing mud at all comers. Unfortunately, Suvi wasn't as good as Terry and Freddy and missed her targets more often than she hit them. One of her errant throws sailed past Liam, her intended target, and Peebee, who'd been using him as a shield, and hit the one person who hadn't been participating in the mudfight: Alec Ryder, returning from a quick side trip while they'd washed up. "Shite!"

"Who threw that?" Ryder asked, wiping mud off his face with both hands as he approached the group. He raised his eyebrows when he saw their bedraggled state.

Though inwardly shaking, Suvi raised her hand anyway. "I did, Sir. I was trying to hit Liam. I'm terribly sorry."

"You have a good arm," he told her mildly. "Just work on your aim."

With that, he walked past them, slapping each twin on the back, leaving a muddy handprint behind, and continued into the _Tempest_. The twins stared at each other for several moments, and then laughed, collapsing against each other. Liam said what they were all thinking. "Man, I needed that."

"Except now we're filthier than before," Freddy pointed out, beginning to remove his armor, with help from Terry.

As Freddy returned the favor, Gil offered, "I can rig up a hose to clean off the worst of the mud." He looked at all of them with narrowed eyes the next moment. "Don't any of you _think_ about tracking mud into the _Tempest_."

Terry giggled and whispered to Suvi, her eyes sparkling with amusement, "I'm not sure who's more protective of the ship: Gil or Kallo?"

"Both," Suvi whispered back, distracted when Terry stood up with her armor bundled in her arms. Like her brother, she wore only a tank top and shorts now.

Blushing, she turned away to strip out of her muddied tunic and leggings. She shivered as a breeze brushed the skin left bare by her halter top and shorts. _They're my family now. Might as well be comfortable with them._

*

Peebee was annoyed at first that the Pathfinder insisted his children accompany her through the vault. _"Traveling alone is not a good idea. Terry and Freddy will go with you."_

The twins protested his decision, but he insisted and they reluctantly joined Peebee. "I'm not _that_ bad. I won't bite unless you ask me nicely."

"You do throw a mean mudball," Freddy remarked as they moved through the vault, weapons up.

"You're both pretty good yourselves," Peebee added with a grin, remembering the mudfight from the night before. "What's going on with Suvi? You two seemed pretty close with her."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Ryders' fingers flicker back and forth almost too fast to follow. Finally, Terry replied, "It's not important."

"I think it is, but I'll leave it alone." Peebee guessed that, whatever it was, it was very new. "What was that thing you were doing with your fingers?"

Both suddenly looked on guard, unconsciously moving closer to each other. Freddy eyed her cautiously. "What thing?"

"Stop being so suspicious," she told them with an exasperated sigh. "You were doing something with your hands to communicate."

After a moment, Terry sighed, her shoulders slumping. "It's called sign language. Both of us had ear infections when were kids and lost over 50% of our hearing."

"This was the early days of humanity's membership in the Alliance," Freddy added as they continued moving forward. "Non-human doctors didn't know our biology enough to offer treatments that would correct the loss and human medicine could only offer cochlear implants. Our parents couldn't afford them for both of us. So we all learned sign language and the two of us also learned how to read lips. Eventually, Alliance doctors learned our biology well enough to correct the loss."

Peebee was fascinated. She'd never heard of _not_ being able to correct that kind of hearing loss. "That's pretty cool. Even after that was corrected, you kept up with sign language?"

"Yeah, it's come in handy." Freddy stood nearby as Terry spread her hand over a console. It didn't do anything. "Terry?"

She frowned at it. "There's no power to this console."

"There should be a bridge here." Peebee gestured to the gap barring their way.

Freddy looked around, and then waved. "Dad!"

"Freddy!" Alec called back from where he stood with Cora and Vetra. "Is something wrong?"

Terry joined her twin. "This console is dark. There's no power to it!"

"There's a leak here!" He called back. "Not sure how to fix it."

Peebee joined the twins. "I saw an observer fixing something with its laser. Maybe you can do the same thing?"

"Send me the frequency!" He held up his arm with its omni-tool flaring orange in the dimness.

Bringing up her own arm to tap at the omni-tool, she did exactly that. They watched as Alec focused on his omni-tool, and then pointed it at the console beside him. Behind them, the console Terry had tried to use rumbled. Terry waved at him. "It worked!"

"Great, let's get a move on." Alec waved back, and then used his console.

Terry wasted no time using the console that would trigger the bridge they needed. As they crossed, Peebee asked, "Can anyone learn your sign language?"

"Yeah, it's not sacred or anything," Freddy told her. "Except for sign names. Only members of the Deaf or HoH community can give someone those."

She eyed them curiously. "So how do you refer to someone who doesn't have one of those?"

"We fingerspell," Terry told her simply. "At least their initials."

Peebee nodded, and then asked, "What's fingerspelling?"

"There's a sign for each letter of the alphabet-- the human one," Freddy explained, holding up one hand to presumably use a few of those signs. "Fingerspelling is when you use those signs to spell out the name of something or someone you don't have a sign for."

Terry nodded. "Exactly. For the crew, though, we've started just signing their initials instead of their whole names. It's quicker."

"Is that what you sign for me?" Peebee asked, musing that it would take them forever to sign her full name.

Freddy nodded this time. "Yeah, P. B." As he said her initials, he made two signs with his right hand, presumably for the letters P and B. "We try not to use signs around others. It's kind of rude, but it's handy if we want to say something that we don't want others to know about."

"Such as your discussion about what to tell me about Suvi." Peebee grinned when Terry glanced down at the ground, suddenly shy. She mentally filed that information away for later. "Don't worry about it. I know how to keep my mouth shut."

Terry smiled shyly, looking relieved. "Come on, let's get going."

"Yep, lots of wonders to discover here," Peebee agreed, trotting after Terry with Freddy bringing up the rear.

Just to test the waters a little, Peebee swayed her hips a bit. She grinned when she heard Freddy stumble a little behind her. _Hmm, good to know._

*

Drack grunted when Ryder sat down beside him instead of with the others around the campfire. He paused in his eating long enough to say, "Ryder."

"Drack." The human Pathfinder took a bite of the meal that Drack had prepared. He made a surprised sound and stared at the plate in his hand. Once he'd swallowed, he told Drack, "This is quite good. What do you call it?"

He grinned, pleased to have surprised Alec Ryder of all people. "Drack's surprise."

"You said you've been killing kett?" Ryder asked, violet eyes intent as he ate.

Drack nodded, setting aside his empty plate. Two hefty portions was enough for him. "Yeah. Not much use at stopping them for good, but it's better than doing nothing."

"Hmm, I imagine so." Ryder continued to eat, clearly thinking that over. "Is that why you decided to join us?"

He shrugged, a very human gesture that suited his need. "Partly. You've also made a difference on Eos and given our first colony a third chance. Can't ignore that."

"No, of course not." Ryder looked over at the group around the campfire.

Drack looked, too. The Ryder twins sat side-by-side, their shoulders touching. Terry, the sister, talked with the cute redheaded scientist, both smiling. The brother, Freddy, on the other hand, talked with Peebee, the two of them gesturing so broadly that they ran the risk of upsetting their plates of food. "Why are you over here?"

"What do you hope to accomplish by joining the crew?" Ryder asked instead of answering.

Another shrug as Drack idly brushed away some dust that had gathered on his armor. "The krogan didn't get their own Pathfinder or ark. The only way we get a say in anything is if we work our way into a position of influence."

"Hence why Kesh didn't leave the station with the rest of you." Ryder nodded, finishing his food. "You hope being on my team will give you similar influence?"

Drack grinned at Ryder. "You're the only Pathfinder who's showed up so far and, even before we left, you had a lot of say in the Initiative. I don't see how that'd change here."

"I'll try to advocate for the krogan with the rest of the Initiative." Ryder slapped Drack's shoulder and got up to approach the fire.

He remained where he was as Ryder urged the others to go to bed in their sleeping bags instead of seated around the fire. They reluctantly followed his thinly-veiled order. Drack had already offered to take first watch and looked up at the stars for several moments. He couldn't see the Nexus, but he made a silent vow to Kesh all the same, _I'll keep him safe so he can give us the home we came here for, ru'shan.  
_

*

Terry watched Freddy and Peebee disappear up the ramp leading to the upper level, whispering and giggling between themselves. She liked Peebee and enjoyed talking with her about Remnant and what it could mean, but she was both too much and not enough. A flash of red hair caught Terry's eye and she couldn't stop a smile as she watched Suvi walk up the same ramp with Professor Herik, the two talking quickly. She blinked at a gentle tug on her arm. "Terry."

"Right, sorry, Dad." Terry reluctantly followed him, Cora, and Drack onto the tram. She leaned back against the railing, arms wrapped across her waist. "Are you sure about pursuing this vault network? We're not even sure if it does what we think."

Alec gave a firm nod. "You saw what it did on Habitat 7." Terry shuddered at the memory of being unable to breathe and watching helplessly as her father replaced her shattered helmet with his own. A touch on her arm drew her back to the present and she smiled wanly at Cora, who'd shifted over to press her arm against Terry's. When she looked back at Alec, she saw apology in his eyes--violet, like hers. "And, of course, what we just saw it do on Eos. If we can find the control center of the entire network, then we can make all the golden worlds truly golden."

"And our best bet is to find a fully functional vault, not one we just reset," Cora added quietly, looking hopeful.

Terry nodded as the tram came to a stop and they filed off. Drack headed towards Kesh's office while the rest of them headed to Tann's. Terry didn't like the new Initiative Director. She'd met Jien Garson a couple times and had liked her, despite her eccentricities. Tann, though--something about him just rubbed her the wrong way and she wasn't sure why. Her steps faltered for a moment when they entered Pathfinder Hall to find it wide open and airy instead of a little closet. _I guess Addison wasn't the only one who benefited from us establishing Prodromos._

While Alec and Terry followed Tann's assistant up to the meeting area, Cora peeled off to examine the displays around Pathfinder Hall. They overheard the end of a conversation between Tann and Kesh via the comm system. He greeted them warmly, calling them the heroes of the hour. Alec refused to celebrate, though. Terry couldn't help bristling when Tann tried to subtly guide Alec away from her, speaking quietly to him. With SAM's enhancements, though, Terry could clearly hear that Tann was basically offering to be Alec's patron. For his part, Alec stepped back, refusing Tann's implied offer, even when he turned on previously-dark displays to present a slideshow of images from Eos. Terry recognized most as Prodromos, but a few were of Promise and Resilience, too. "Yours are the first trophies to grace the walls of Pathfinder Hall. You're a symbol now, Ryder. A reason for people to believe."

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without my crew," Alec told him, glancing over at Terry, who took the opportunity to join her father. "They're a talented bunch."

Tann moved closer, his eyes only on Alec. "But you're their beacon."

"Careful--he'll end up adopting you, Ryder," Kandros interjected then, much to Terry's relief.

"Ah. My...staff," Tann greeted Kesh and Kandros as they approached, his cheerful tone sounding too forced to be sincere.

Kesh corrected him firmly and politely, " _Colleagues_. You wouldn't be looking to cut us out, would you, Tann?"

"I remind you: I am the Director of the Initiative," Tann told them, just a little testy.

Kandros said what Terry was thinking: " _Acting_ director."

"This isn't the time for arguing over who gets to be king," Alec told them, sounding exactly the father who broke up Terry and Freddy's rare fights. "Too much is at stake--we should be cooperating."

Kesh nodded her agreement, looking pleased. "That's what I've been saying since we arrived."

"Then I look forward to winning our Pathfinder's support," Tann retorted and Terry resisted the urge to roll her eyes. That wasn't what her father meant.

Kandros distracted them from Tann's remark, almost but not quite talking over him, "I have concerns about your decision on Eos, Ryder. An outpost full of scientists won't do us much good if the kett attack."

"But it will help support the Nexus," Kesh reminded him and Terry nodded her agreement. "Improved research could help feed our people."

Tann, for once, said something sensible, "And we could argue about it all day long, as we always do. The decision was made--and now we move on." He looked at Alec and asked quietly. "What _is_ your plan for moving on, Ryder?"

"We have a lead on a terraforming network," Alec informed them, glancing around at each of them. "We need to take the _Tempest_ deeper into the sector to investigate."

Terry moved closer to Alec, pressing their shoulders together. "If the other golden worlds are where they should be, this could get us closer to them."

"Careful," Kandros warned them. "The kett are scouring the cluster for Remnant technology. You'll end up in a fight for sure." Again, Terry fought the urge to roll her eyes. They'd _already_ run into the kett. "You might also run into Exiles. They didn't leave the Nexus on good terms."

Kesh added her two credits' worth: "And we still need more outposts. They're important to expanding the station."

"Though with arks still missing, this could be a chance for Ryder to search for them," Tann added thoughtfully. "Yes, I think that's best." He nodded to Alec. "You have my permission."

Alec responded in the calmly neutral tone that would drive Terry crazy when she wanted more of a reaction from him, "I wasn't really asking for it."

"Of course, I support that kind of enthusiasm." If Tann didn't like Alec's tone, he didn't show it.

Alec nodded to the others and left, Terry following close behind him, muttering, "I don't trust Tann at all."

"Neither do I." Alec bumped her shoulder with his. "We have to deal with him until we can hold elections and choose someone else to lead."

She made a rude noise as they stepped onto the tram. "Guess that means establishing more outposts as quickly as we can."

"Starting with that other vault we saw," Alec agreed.

Terry nodded, glad that they were on the same page in that regard at least. _It's something._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regarding the twins losing their hearing and then having it restored, I'd say it's not much different from them waiting to get implants. It's not back to 100%, but it's enough that they don't need to rely on sign language or reading lips, but they keep in practice.


	3. Finding Hope Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pathfinders pursue their lead from Eos and find a new alien species: the angara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First contact goes differently, but not too much so.

Suvi smiled when Terry joined her at one of the workstations in the tech lab. "Hi, Terry."

"Hi, Suvi." Terry smiled warmly in reply. "What are you up to here?"

She hardly noticed Alec Ryder walking past them and out the door after a brief chat with Dr. Aridana. "The team found a box of samples that they forgot in the midst of moving in here. They asked me go through them because I'm the only one with any field experience, even though I usually stay on the _Tempest_."

"You still have more experience than the scientists here." Terry's gesture encompassed Dr. Aridana and the others. A little diffidently, she asked, "Would you like some help with that?"

Suvi smiled brightly up at Terry. "Yes, of course. You probably saw similar samples while you were in the field."

"Exactly." Terry grabbed a nearby chair and sat down beside Suvi, their legs pressing against each other from knee to hip. "Now, what are we looking at, exactly?"

Her heart beating faster, Suvi pulled the box closer. Inside was a jumble of Heleus plant and rock samples. "As you can see, these weren't labeled properly before they were tossed in here. It's my job to sort them and label them as best I can."

"I may be of assistance," SAM offered, startling them. "I have access to the entire database collected by both the Nexus and _Tempest_ and can compare the samples to the database."

Terry grinned at Suvi. "Really? That's awesome, SAM."

"Thanks, SAM," Suvi added, pleased by the offer. She reached for the box of disposable gloves. "You'll need these. We're not sure if any of these samples are safe to touch yet, so it's better to be safe than sorry."

Laughing softly, Terry grabbed two gloves and pulled them on. "All right, what's first?"

"Sort them according to type," Suvi told her, grabbing items from the box and setting them on the worktop one by one.

Working together, they began to sort through the samples in the box. They labeled each sample and entered the data into the system before placing them into smaller, separate boxes, ready to be put away. About halfway through, Terry scanned a rock sample. "SAM, what's this from?" When she didn't receive a prompt reply, Terry frowned. "SAM?"

"Apologies, Terry," SAM replied the next moment. "That is from the Remav system."

Suvi took the rock from Terry with a frown of her own. "Are you sure? It looks like moon rock."

"That is the closest match I could find in the database," SAM explained as Terry carefully wrote the information on a label.

Shrugging, Suvi typed the information on her omni-tool as well for entry into the database. "We haven't gotten that far ourselves."

" _Some_ one will, even if _we_ don't," Terry agreed, placing the label on a box.

As Suvi put the rock into the box, the door to the tech lab opened and Alec Ryder strode in, his brow furrowed and violet eyes glittering. Terry noticed his entrance and seemed to shrink in on herself, muttering, "Shit, I haven't seen Dad this mad in _years_."

"Not a good sign, then?" Suvi asked quietly, placing the box with the rest of the boxed samples.

Terry shook her head and stood up, moving closer to where Alec now stood facing Dr. Aridana, arms folded across his chest. As they drew near, they caught the tail end of an explanation from SAM: "--a virus designed to target artificial intelligence."

"You think I--?" Dr. Aridana looked shocked and appalled by the implied accusation. "Never!! I abhor violence against _any_ life--organic or synthetic."

Alec remained stern and stoic, his arms still folded across his chest. Suvi felt Terry grasp her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze as Alec asked, "Then how did the virus find its way into your equations?"

"Perhaps my files were altered or replaced," Aridana suggested. Suvi could certainly see it happening, especially if Dr. Aridana had intended to give the equations to Alec for SAM to solve. "But why?"

Behind Aridana, Professor Herik cleared his throat. "I've seen a lot of 'down with A.I.' sentiment lately. Graffiti. Complaints to Tann. Perhaps someone took the next step?"

"Everything's uncertain," Suvi volunteered, blushing when everyone turned to look at her. Holding tight to Terry's hand, she continued with her initial thought, "Maybe they just want to feel safer."

Alec sighed, dropping his arms to his sides. "Attacking SAM is bold. I wonder if there've been similar incidents?"

"The V.I. kiosk was busted this morning," Chief Lucan offered after a moment's thought.

Alec nodded, his expression relaxing. "I can take a look around." After a moment, he added in a gruff voice, "I'm sorry for suggesting that you were party to this, Dr. Aridana."

"I accept your apology, Pathfinder," she replied, looking relieved as she moved away with Professor Herik and Chief Lucan.

Alec stopped in front of Terry and Suvi, his eyes on his daughter. Looking at Terry, Suvi was surprised to realize that her eyes were wide and distraught, her posture tense and protective. Softly, Alec said, "Terry..."

"No!" With that, Terry released Suvi's hand and bolted from the lab. Suvi glanced at Alec, wondering if _he_ knew what was wrong with Terry.

He scrubbed his face with his hands, looking worried. "Shit. SAM, contact Freddy and ask him to look in on Terry."

"Unable to comply, Pathfinder," SAM reported a moment later. "Freddy has asked not to be disturbed unless it's a dire emergency."

Alec sighed heavily and looked at Suvi. "Can _you_ check on Terry, Suvi? I'm afraid _I_ would only make the situation worse."

"Yes, sir," Suvi agreed, quite worried by now. Terry was one of the strongest people she'd met. To see her run away like that...

Pushing the thought away, she tidied up her workstation and left the tech lab. Before she could even wonder where Terry had run to from the lab, SAM told her, "Terry is in her quarters on the _Tempest_ , Dr. Anwar."

"Thanks, SAM." She headed to the docks and boarded the ship. It was very quiet and still with most of the crew on the Nexus. Even Kallo was gone.

She walked towards the front of the ship where the Pathfinder quarters had been jury-rigged into a pair of rooms, one for Alec and the other for Terry. Freddy bunked in the crew quarters with the rest of them when he didn't share with his sister. A little hesitantly, Suvi tapped on the door to Terry's quarters. After a moment, Terry called in a rough voice, "I'm _fine_ , Freddy!"

"It's not Freddy," Suvi called back, her heartbeat speeding up again. "It's Suvi!"

The door opened and Terry stared at her, tearstains on her cheeks. "Suvi? Why are you here?"

"I'm worried about you," she explained, reaching up to touch Terry's wet cheek. "What's wrong?"

Sighing, Terry stepped back and gestured for Suvi to enter. She stepped past Terry into the room and looked at her curiously once the door shut behind her. "This is going to sound stupid, but I'm upset that Dad apologized to Dr. Aridana."

"Did he not apologize in the past?" Suvi hazarded the question, following Terry over to the couch pushed back against the bulkhead separating her quarters from Alec's. "To you, I mean."

Terry shook her head, flopping down onto the couch. "No, he didn't and, technically, he still hasn't. He just acted as if nothing was wrong and I followed his lead."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Suvi asked gently, sitting down beside Terry.

Another shake of Terry's head. "No, it's very complicated and a lot to get into at the moment. Just-- please sit with me?"

"Of course." Suvi offered a reassuring smile.

Looking relieved, Terry squirmed around until her head rested in Suvi's lap. "Thanks, Suvi."

"Always, Terry." Suvi tapped her omni-tool and music began to play, gentle and soothing.

Stroking Terry's head and shoulders, she began to sing the lullaby that her mother had always sung to her and her siblings when they were scared or upset. Sometime during the third repetition of the lullaby, Terry drifted off to sleep. Suvi never started a fourth repetition because she drifted off, too.

*

"Harry." At the sound of Alec's voice, Harry looked up from his work.

His lover stood just inside the doorway to his office, far enough for the doors to close behind him. He looked lost and frustrated, just like when Harry had contacted him after finding out about Terry coming out to him. "Alec, is something wrong?"

"I... upset Terry." Alec scrubbed his eyes and wandered over to the couch that Harry kept in his office in case he was too tired to go to his quarters.

Saving his work, Harry got up and joined Alec, wrapping his arm around his waist. "How did you manage that? You two have been doing fine, from what I've heard."

"I'm not sure." Alec shrugged, frowning in thought.

Harry stifled a sigh. Sometimes, getting information out of Alec or Terry was like pulling teeth. SAM piped up then, "I can relay something Terry told Dr. Anwar that may help."

"Why not Freddy?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows curiously.

Alec smiled slyly. "He's... busy. I'm assuming Terry and Suvi both forgot to ask for privacy."

"They did. Should I have granted them privacy?" SAM inquired, reminding Harry of a young child for a moment.

Sighing, Alec said, "For the most part, don't offer to share what people have discussed in private. However, in this case, just an indication of why Terry's upset would help _me_."

"She was apparently upset that you apologized to Dr. Aridana," SAM informed them. "And have yet to apologize to _her_."

Alec groaned, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes. "Dammit."

"You _still_ haven't apologized for that?" Harry asked incredulously.

His lover shook his head, dropping his hands to look at Harry helplessly. "It's been so long. How would I even go about it?"

"Just tell her you're an idiot who doesn't handle emotions well and that you're sorry you spoke without thinking for once in your life," Harry suggested, aggravated that Alec _still_ hadn't apologized to Terry for the way he reacted to her attempt to come out to him.

Alec grumbled. "Easy for _you_ to say. You're the one she went to when I screwed up so badly."

"Because _you_ did such a fantastic job, she didn't even _speak_ to you for ten years." Harry poked Alec in the side, making him squirm.

Batting ineffectually at Harry's hand, Alec sighed. "I'll figure out how to apologize to her. Somehow."

"Soon," Harry added, kissing his cheek.

Alec nodded, kissing his cheek in return. "Soon. Thanks, Harry."

"Always, Alec."

*

Concerned by what his father had told him about what happened in the tech lab, Freddy boarded the _Tempest_ and strode towards the Pathfinders' quarters. The door to Terry's half slid open at his approach. He stopped short as he took in the tableau before him: Terry was stretched out on the couch, limbs and back contorted in a way that made Freddy wince. Instead of her head resting on a pillow or cushion, though, Terry was using Suvi's lap as a pillow. Their science officer sat upright at one end of the couch, her chin resting on her chest as she slept. Quietly, Freddy lifted his arm to take a picture with his omni-tool. Then he stepped close and gently shook his sister's shoulder. "Terry, wake up."

"Mmph." Terry shifted and tried to burrow closer to Suvi.

This disturbed Suvi, who lifted her head and looked around in sleepy confusion. Then she saw Freddy and a blush suffused her cheeks. "Oh, Freddy. Hi."

"Shh." He pressed a finger to his lips and whispered, "You're needed on the bridge, Suvi. I'll sit with Terry."

Below them, Terry grumbled. "No need. 'Mwake."

"Sleep well?" Freddy asked her with a grin.

Terry sat up and stretched thoroughly. "Up until some asshole started shaking my shoulder."

"Sorry, not sorry," he retorted, offering a hand to Suvi.

She took it and stood up. "I'm glad I could help you, Terry."

"Thank you _very_ much, Suvi." Terry took Suvi's hands and squeezed them.

Suvi, her cheeks pink, returned the squeeze and hurried from the room. Freddy turned to his sister, who had a silly little grin on her face. "Are you all right?"

"Better than earlier," Terry admitted, moving to the middle of her quarters to do some yoga. "I know it's silly, but Dad apologized to Dr. Aridana and it upset me."

Freddy winced, understanding even better now why she'd run away. "Shit, and he's yet to apologize to _you_ for what he said when you came out to him." Terry nodded, looking miserable. "I'm glad Suvi was able to help you."

"Me, too." Terry paused to hug Freddy. "I'm very lucky to have such a good twin brother."

He hugged her back, extra tight. "And _I'm_ very lucky to have such a good twin sister."

*

Alec let Terry pilot the _Tempest_ when they headed to the coordinates of the fully functional vault. She wondered if he meant it to make up for earlier on the Nexus. Regardless, it was going well until Kallo reported, "We're on a collision course with unknown objects."

"Make corrections!" Terry ordered him, holding tight to the railing in front of her as Kallo did just that. "SAM? Are you on this?"

All he said in reply was, "Collision is imminent."

"All stop! Now!" Terry wasn't going to risk crashing into whatever the objects were.

They jerked forward as Kallo and SAM worked together to stop the ship short of an unfamiliar type of ship. After a moment of stunned silence, Suvi told them, "Kett ships, a dozen--no, more!"

"They've got us pinned against the Scourge!" Kallo added, sounding more worried by that idea than the sheer number of ships.

Terry heard the bridge door open and acknowledged the others with a nod as they hurried onto the bridge. Before anyone could say anything, SAM said, "They are scanning us."

"Well, scan them back!" Terry ordered him, trying to hide her nerves over the fact that Alec was watching her every move. She didn't want to let her father down.

After a tense silence, the comm came to life with the image of a kett, different from any other they'd encountered before. "Where is the one who activated the Remnant?" Terry unconsciously stood taller as she took her place between Kallo and Suvi, refusing to say anything. The strange kett narrowed their eyes, "Their DNA signature is there. Answer me."

"You're the one in _my_ way," Terry retorted with more bravado than she felt. "Who are you?"

He said nothing, but both Suvi and Kallo's consoles turned orange and they felt the _Tempest_ move even though neither were doing anything. Suvi looked panicked as she told Terry in a low, urgent voice, "They've locked navigation."

"We're being steered into their ship," Kallo added, his voice just as urgent as Suvi's.

Terry turned back to the image on the screen, gripping the railing tightly with both hands. "Just tell me what you want."

"I won't explain what you can't understand," the kett replied dismissively.

Biting the inside of her cheek at his lofty arrogance, Terry pretended to look down at her console as SAM told her privately, "Terry, I have almost regained control of the ship. I need a few more seconds."

"I actually know a lot about the Remnant," she said, looking back at the strange kett. "We should compare notes."

Not surprisingly, the kett didn't like that idea. "Enough. Your defiance is naïve and reckless. This day marks the beginning of your greatness."

"SAM?" Terry asked quietly, not sure she wanted to find out what he meant by that.

His answer came promptly. "I have plotted a potential course through the Scourge."

"Do it!" Even as she gave the order, Kallo's fingers began dancing across his console and the _Tempest_ sped away, bobbing and weaving as he followed SAM's course. "Report?"

Suvi answered first, "Enemy destroyed. Damage to aft sensors!"

"Scourge got it?" Terry glanced at her and received a nod.

Behind her, she heard Liam say, "Get us out of here!"

"Quiet, Kosta," Freddy countered quietly, but Terry could hear the tension in his voice.

They could only watch, tension mounting, as the Scourge seemed to close in around them. SAM, utterly calm, reported, "It will be tight."

"Kallo," Vetra said warningly, drawing out the last syllable of his name.

With a final burst of speed, they emerged from the Scourge into a thankfully clear section of space. "Yes!"

As they all relaxed and caught their breath, Drack complimented Kallo on his flying. Then Gil called them from engineering and told them they needed to land the ship. Terry glanced at Alec, wondering if he wanted to take over. He shook his head slightly and she nodded, turning back to her console. "Where'd we end up anyway?"

"Sensors are damaged," Suvi replied, "but I think we're at the vault's coordinates."

Terry nodded, pleased that SAM had worked that into his calculations. "Right, Gil, give it what you can. We're setting down."

"Be careful, Terry," Freddy warned her as she prepared to take the ship down into the atmosphere of the planet below them.

She nodded and they began to descend. After a short, tense silence, Suvi piped up, "We're being contacted, Terry."

"We have to land." Terry sighed, scrubbing at the short hairs at the nape of her neck. Absently, she noted that they were starting to grow out because there was a decided lack of barbershops and hair salons in Heleus. "Open a comm."

Not surprisingly, the language they heard was unfamiliar to them. "Tove jagalesh do!" Terry hesitated, trying to decide what to say. "Tove jagalesh do!"

"We're visitors from another galaxy. Our intentions are peaceful." Terry kept her voice calm and respectful, hoping that her intent was clear enough even if they didn't understand her words.

After a short silence, they received another communication, "Paav, nele set do."

"They've sent us a navpoint," Kallo reported the next moment.

Terry breathed a silent sigh of relief. "Set us down."

"It's beautiful." Freddy murmured, watching the landscape as they flew to the navpoint.

Once they landed, Alec stepped forward and squeezed Terry's shoulder. "You did good."

"I nearly got us captured," Terry muttered, not sure she deserved his praise.

He gave her a stern look. "I have a feeling the same thing would have happened if I'd been in charge instead."

"Yes, sir." Terry stood straighter, finally accepting his praise.

Clearing his throat, he dropped his hand. "So, how do you want to handle this?"

"You're asking me?" Terry stared at him, thrown that he seemed to trust her judgment.

Alec nodded, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "Yes, I am. This is clearly a new species. How should we handle this?"

After a moment's thought, Terry told him, "No armor, no weapons, and only a few of us."

"Are you sure?" Freddy asked, looking at Terry as if she'd lost her mind.

She nodded firmly. "Yes. These people have clearly encountered the kett before. We need to show them that we're different from them."

"Very well." Alec cleared his throat again. "I'll go."

Terry and Freddy spoke at almost the same time, "Me, too." "And me."

"Are you sure?" he looked from one to the other.

Terry nodded, unconsciously signing the word as she told him, "Yes."

"We came close to losing you once already, Dad," Freddy added. "We'd rather you didn't face these people alone."

Alec sighed and reluctantly nodded. "Very well. Let's go."

*

"I'm Paaran Shie, governor of Aya," the alien woman with blue skin tones in the middle of the group introduced herself as Alec, Terry, and Freddy approached the stairs where she waited with four others. "We are the angara."

Alec stepped slightly ahead of the twins, "Hello. I'm Pathfinder Alec Ryder, with Terry and Freddy. We're from the Initiative."

"Yes, you crossed darkspace." She looked at each of them in turn. Freddy looked over at Terry, worried that they seemed to already know about that. "I've heard of your journey." She glanced over as another angara, this one a man with purple skin tones and wearing what looked like a blue poncho over his clothes and some sort of device over his left eye. "Jaal. I have this in hand."

He turned to her, holding up a hand. "Evfra saw the ship come in and sent me to find out what's going on."

"They are humans from another galaxy," Shie told Jaal as he descended the stairs towards them. "Pathfinders."

Both Freddy and Terry tensed when Jaal stopped right in front of Alec, a half foot taller than him. "Aya is hidden, protected. What do you want?"

"We didn't know _what_ we'd find here, to be honest," Alec answered, his posture relaxed. "But we're open to sharing what we know, if you are."

Freddy tried to relax, too, when Jaal gave a dry chuckle. "Honest? Honesty would be a good start." Apparently satisfied, he stepped back and turned to go back up the stairs. "I'll inform Evfra. He'll be waiting for you in his office at the Resistance Headquarters. I'll meet you there."

"I will accompany you through our city," Shie told them as Jaal passed her and disappeared into the crowd, presumably headed towards the headquarters he'd mentioned. "Your crew will stay on your ship. Follow me."

As they followed Governor Shie closely, Alec asked her questions. Freddy and Terry both looked around with wide eyes, fascinated by everything they saw. "Are we _that_ intimidating?"

"You're outsiders who invaded our home," she explained calmly. "We know nothing about you."

Freddy hid a grimace at the reminder as Alec told her, "We're not here to cause trouble."

"Then keep moving." Alec laughed softly and they did as she suggested.

Freddy was distracted from admiring the craftsmanship displayed in the construction of the city around them by the sound of voices from the angara watching them walk past. Specifically, a woman with purple skin tones wearing a green and purple outfit saying, "She or he, not it. And stop staring."

"Uh oh." Freddy muttered under his breath, glancing at Terry. Her shoulders were tight and she had her lips pressed together. He nudged her and signed, "You okay?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, answering in kind. "I get that we're aliens to them, but you know I _hate_ being called 'it'."

"Yeah." He wrapped his arm around her and hugged her tight. He added in a whisper, "Some of them seem to see us as people already. Hold onto that."

Terry nodded and leaned into him, but didn't say anything. Ahead of them, Alec remarked, "Your city is beautiful."

"Thank you." Freddy wasn't sure if she was pleased, but compliments usually helped. "You're the first outsiders to see it."

Alec nodded briefly. "We're honored." After a brief silence, he asked, "What happens if Evfra doesn't like us?"

"He _won't_." Freddy glanced at Terry, worried by the certainty of Governor Shie's statement. "But you need to earn his trust."

Another nod from Alec, along with a deep breath. "He's responsible for everyone's safety. I know what that's like."

"You're a leader." She peered over her shoulder at Alec, and then flicked her eyes towards Terry and Freddy.

He shrugged. "Trying to be."

"This is the Resistance headquarters." They'd reached a door and she turned to face them properly. "Evfra is waiting inside." She held up a hand when Terry and Freddy moved to join Alec. "It would be best if only one of you spoke with him."

Alec turned to them. "Wait here for me."

"Dad..." Terry began, and then faltered.

He reached out and pulled them both into a hug. "If they'd wanted to kill us, they would have by now. I'll be fine."

"You better be," Freddy replied, hugging him back.

With a soft huff of laughter, Alec released them and turned to go inside. Governor Shie looked at them curiously. "You are family?"

"Yeah," Freddy replied, wondering if that meant anything to angara. "We couldn't let Dad meet an unknown people without us."

She nodded, seeming to relax. "That is good to know. Remain here while your father meets with Evfra. The guards will stop you if you don't."

"Will do," Terry told her with a nod. Returning the nod, Governor Shie walked away, disappearing into the crowd of angara gathered behind the guards.

Relatively alone now, Freddy asked her quietly, "Better now?"

"A little." Terry admitted, rolling her shoulders. "This is _certainly_ going better than our _last_ first contact attempt."

Freddy nodded, wincing a little. He'd heard about that afterwards. "To be fair, I don't think that really _was_ first contact."

"It was for _us_ ," she countered, glancing at him with a mock glare.

Laughing, he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Point taken." Slyly, he asked, "What's going on between you and Suvi?"

"Nothing," she retorted, quickly looking away.

He was sure she was blushing. "Uh huh. You two looked awfully cozy in your quarters."

"You _know_ what happened," Terry shot back, a smile lurking at the corners of her mouth.

Freddy grinned, glad to have distracted her. "That's your story. I'm not sure I buy it."

"You--" with that, she lunged at him. Laughing, he caught her with a hold he was sure she didn't know. Terry managed to squirm out of his grip, taunting him with a smile. "You'll have to do better than that, baby brother."

He sighed theatrically as they circled each other. "Again with the 'baby' thing. You're _one_ stinking minute older."

"Sometimes, that's all you need." Terry lunged again, their laughter ringing out as they grappled with each other. It'd been too long since they'd rough housed like this.

*

"You brought your children?" Evfra asked as he, Alec, and Jaal headed to the entrance of the Resistance headquarters.

Alec nodded. "They insisted. Didn't want me to face down a strange new race on my own."

"That is... admirable," Jaal remarked as the door opened.

At the foot of the stairs, Terry and Freddy were tussling with each other. As they watched, Terry twisted out of her brother's hold and managed to put him in a headlock. Jaal made an approving sound while Evfra remarked, "Your young treat each other the way ours do."

"Not all of them do," Alec told them, trying to remember the last time the twins had behaved this way. "Even when they were young, they tended to wrestle with each other." Clearing his throat, he barked, "Ryders!"

Terry promptly released Freddy and they quickly stood at attention. "Sir!"

"I trust whatever your disagreement is, it's been settled?" Alec asked, looking from one to the other inquiringly.

The twins side-eyed each other. Freddy answered for both of them, "Not so much settled as... put aside, sir."

"Of course." Alec sighed and gestured to the angara on either side of him. "This is Evfra de Tershaav, the head of the angaran Resistance, and Jaal Ama Darav. Gentlebeings, my daughter and son, Terry and Freddy Ryder."

Terry waved and Freddy grinned. "Nice to meet you."

"Do not make us regret this, Ryder," Evfra warned, and then turned to Jaal. "Isharay."

They exchanged a gesture that was clearly as much a farewell as their words. As Evfra returned to the headquarters, Jaal turned to Alec. "Come, let us return to your ship."

"No detours?" Alec asked as they descended the stairs.

The twins fell in behind them as they walked through the city. Terry sounded disappointed as she asked, "Wait, we're not going to explore?"

"If all goes well, Terry, we _will_ come back and you can explore then," Alec told her, understanding very well her disappointment.

As they walked, both twins peppered Jaal with questions about angaran physiology and biology (Terry) as well as their weapons and ships (Freddy). Alec remained silent, though he longed to ask about their medical and biological sciences himself. _Hopefully, they'll be able to help SAM save Ellen._

*

"Stars above it's you!" Avela was delighted when one of the aliens (humans, she'd heard they were called), walked over at her hopeful wave. "I was hoping to get a chance to speak with one of you. You left your home to cross dark space. Is it true you can never go back?"

The woman nodded, her tone very matter-of-fact: "Yeah, this is home now."

"To take such a risk and give up your old life," she mused to herself. Looking back at the human, she asked, "Why did you do it?"

A charming smile lighting her face, the woman replied, "For the chance to meet someone like you. Looks like it already paid off."

"Are all humans this quick with words?" Avela wondered, her body energy rippling and shifting with her coy pleasure at the compliment.

She chuckled, her smile playful, "You'll have to find out."

"I suppose I will," Avela countered with a playful smile of her own.

Raising her eyebrows, the woman told her, "I'm Terry Ryder, by the way, Second to Pathfinder Alec Ryder. What's _your_ name?"

"Oh--of course." Ducking her head slightly as her body energy shifted to express her embarrassment at forgetting such courtesies, she told Terry, "I'm Avela Kjar, curator for the Repository of History."

This time, Terry's eyes lit up with delight when she smiled. "You're a historian?"

"I think so?" Avela wasn't sure of the strange word. "We study relics of our past. Try to piece together what we lost in the Scourge."

Nodding quickly, Terry said, "Yes, that's what a historian does. Back in the Milky Way, I helped find artifacts lost to the whims of time."

"That's actually related to what I wanted to ask you about," she replied, pleased that Terry had given her an opening. "I know you just met my people, but what have you guessed about our history in that short time?"

After a moment's thought, the human shrugged, "From what my dad and Jaal said, the kett hit your people pretty hard. Now they're focusing on Milky Way races, too."

"They did." Avela nodded, not surprised to learn that the kett had become interested in the Milky Way aliens, too. They were very intriguing in their way. "But long before that, the Scourge destroyed our technology, first targeting our ships."

Terry's smile faded. "We encountered the Scourge when we first arrived in Andromeda. It caused a lot of trouble for us just from brushing against it."

"Many of those ships went down over Havarl," she explained, expressing her sympathy through pulses in her body energy. "The wilds of that planet are filled with history. A scientist on Havarl just contacted me with the navpoint of an intact crash site. A huge opportunity."

Brightening, she said, "It certainly does! Why hasn't anyone investigated?"

"There's Remnant patrolling the area and no one can get close enough," Avela replied, hope making her body energy fluctuate. "Not like you and your family can."

Arching her eyebrows, Terry inquired, "How do you know about us and the Remnant?"

"I have friends in the Resistance." She shrugged, flicking her body energy dismissively. "They heard your father's conversation with Evfra." Technically, her friends were her siblings, but it was easier to say friends. "I know it's a lot to ask, but you have a ship--and the means to get past the Remnant." She shrugged again, her body energy remaining still this time. "Without your help... I'm stuck."

Folding her arms across her chest, Terry asked, "You're trust your history with an outsider?"

"I know what people say about you and your people," Avela rejoined, also folding her arms across her chest. "I don't agree with them, though. I think you're here to help and you clearly care about history in general."

Nodding and dropping her arms, Terry said, "I am and I do."

"This is a chance to prove that you're here to help us," she pointed out, glad that her feelings about the humans were correct. "You want to earn Aya's respect, right? Recovering our past will go a long way."

Smiling wryly, Terry mused, "I don't think Evfra would be too happy with this arrangement."

"Evfra doesn't have to know." Avela shrugged and flicked her body energy dismissively again. "And, if he finds out, he can direct his anger at me."

Terry gave Avela an admiring glance. "It takes guts to stand up to him."

"I'd face worse to get a piece of our history back," she assured Terry seriously.

After thinking a little longer, Terry nodded. "Well, I don't get to decide where we go, but I'll tell my dad and he'll hopefully keep that in mind."

"Just so long as you get there eventually and find _something_ ," Avela assured her, pleased that there was even a chance.

Terry nodded, but the Pathfinder called from where he stood with Jaal, "Ryders! Time to go!"

"Coming, Dad!" Terry called back. Then she turned to Avela and offered her hand.

Confused, Avela took Terry's arm and shifted its position so they could cross their arms at the wrist, pressing the backs against each other. "Isharay, Terry Ryder."

"You, too, Avela Kjar," Terry replied with a smile.

After a moment, she withdrew her arm and walked over to join the others. Avela watched her go curiously. She hadn't felt any response to her body energy. _Do humans not **have** body energy like we angara?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regarding the body energy: we don't know much about it, so I figured the angara have some conscious control over it and use it as part of their communication, so that's why Avela was confused that Terry didn't seem to reciprocate.


	4. Proof of Concept

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pathfinder (and the Initiative by extension) is true to his word and proves that they only want to _help_ the angara. Now he just needs to prove himself to his daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the impression that Alec was very much a workaholic, at the expense of his family relationships. At least with the twins. In my head, he was determined to change that with the fresh start in Andromeda and I'm trying to show that.

At first, Suvi distracted herself from her worry about Alec, Terry, and Freddy meeting a strange new alien species by studying the data their sensors collected about the planet around them and the beings who inhabited it. Eventually, that wasn't enough and she retreated to the galley where she made a cup of her mother's favorite tea. Breathing in the scent of it as she waited for it to cool enough to drink reminded her of when she shared it with Terry and how it'd felt to hug Terry that first time.

"You all right in here, kid?" Drack asked, startling Suvi out of her memories.

She quickly took a sip of her tea and winced when she burned her tongue on the too-hot liquid. "Yes, I'm fine, Drack. Why do you ask?"

"You seem like you're off your game somehow." He moved to the oven to check whatever he had cooking in there. "Maybe because the Ryders are out there without back-up?"

"I'm sure she--they're fine," Suvi answered quickly, tracing the pattern on her mug with a fingertip. "SAM would tell us if something happened to them."

As if to answer them, SAM reported, "They're on their way back to the ship."

Suvi couldn't stop a small sigh of relief. "Thank God."

"Sure you're fine," Drack muttered as Suvi stood up and hurried from the galley, mug in hand, anxious to see for herself that the Ryders were fine.

She waited impatiently in the cargo bay with the others for the Ryders to arrive, both hands wrapped around her mug of tea to contain her sudden urge to fidget. Suvi took a step forward when the door opened and she wasn't the only one. All of them stopped short when they saw the being that followed Alec, Terry, and Freddy onto the ship. Clearly one of the natives, this one was taller with broader shoulders and a narrow waist. Over their body armor, they wore a bright blue garment that reminded Suvi of a poncho. The hatch closed behind the four of them, distracting the crew. Alec gave a small wave when he saw them waiting. "Hello, everyone. This is Jaal. His people are the angara and they've been fighting the kett for almost a hundred years."

"We should probably finish this briefing in the meeting room," Freddy suggested into the silence that followed his father's announcement.

Terry nodded her agreement, smiling wryly. "Yeah, right. Let's go." She made shooing motions and they began to trickle out of the cargo bay. Suvi lingered, still holding her tea, as Jaal followed Freddy and Alec from the cargo bay. Terry's smile changed when she spotted Suvi and she trotted over. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Suvi smiled shyly as she let Terry take her hand and give it a squeeze. "We were worried about all of you."

Chuckling softly, Terry leaned in to nudge her forehead against Suvi's. "We had SAM watching our backs. We were safe."

"Didn't stop us from worrying," Suvi replied, squeezing Terry's hand in reply. "Go on and finish the briefing. Everyone's curious."

Nodding, Terry kissed Suvi's cheek and stepped back. "We'll talk more later."

"We will." Suvi nodded, and then offered the tea to Terry. "Here."

Terry didn't take it right away. "That's your mother's tea."

"And I'm giving it to you." Suvi pressed it into Terry's hands. "I can make more for myself."

Smiling, Terry accepted it with a nod and turned. Much as she would have liked to join the briefing, Suvi returned to the bridge. She could focus on her work again now that she knew Alec, Terry, and Freddy were fine. Especially Terry.

*

Peebee had noticed Terry becoming agitated as they talked with the lookouts (Beniska and Tseek), but wasn't sure of the cause until Beniska commented to Tseek, "I still don't like it. No--"

"We are _people_ ," she practically snarled, taking a few steps towards the two angara. Beniska stepped back, but Tseek held his ground. "We are not _things_."

Alec rested his hand on her arm. "Terry."

"We are sentient beings, just like you two," she continued, still angry, but calmer. "And we're here to help you fight the fucking kett, so--"

Jaal touched Terry's other arm. "You made your point, Terry."

"I--" Beniska stared at Terry, not in fear, but curiosity.

Making a frustrated sound, Terry turned away and took a few steps towards the forward station that had just landed, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"I apologize for my daughter," Alec told them quietly. "It's been rough so far."

As he walked over to Terry, Peebee noticed that the two angara seemed to relax slightly. As Jaal spoke to them in their language, too quietly for her translator to pick up, Peebee turned her attention to father and daughter in time to see her sign something, presumably in response to a question Alec had asked. Peebee had picked up enough to catch, "...touched a nerve."

"I understand." It was hard to read Alec's expression through his helmet. "Can you keep a clear head, or should Freddy come down instead?"

Terry shook her head quickly, signing, "No, I--"

"I'm sorry, Ryder," Beniska interrupted just then, looking contrite. As they turned to face her and Tseek, she continued, "I don't always think before I speak and--"

Standing as tall as she could, Terry replied, "I accept your apology and I'm sorry I let my temper get the better of me."

"Don't apologize for your emotions," Tseek told her. "They are natural."

Jaal told them, "Humans view emotions differently from us."

"Why?" Beniska asked.

Before they could reply, the Nomad finally settled beside the forward station. Alec turned to Terry and Peebee. "Ladies, do you mind sitting in the back?"

"I don't mind." Terry climbed into the vehicle. Peebee almost objected, but then glanced at Jaal and climbed in beside Terry. Jaal and Alec climbed in last and shut the doors. Terry gave a sigh, rubbing her gloved hands together. "Fuck, I hate the cold."

Jaal peered at her between the seats. "Perhaps Freddy _should_ join us."

"He hates the cold more than Terry," Alec replied, putting the Nomad into gear. "You'll have to help me out here, Jaal."

As he turned to face forward, Peebee asked Terry, "I noticed you and Alec signing earlier. What do you do if you encounter something you don't have a sign for? Like the Remnant or angara?"

"Well, we already have a word for 'remnant,'" Terry told her, demonstrating the sign. "In the case of the angara, we'll probably just fingerspell," she spelled out the word quickly, "until we can think of an appropriate sign for them."

Peebee nodded thoughtfully, signing the words for the various Milky Way races. "Is that what happened the last time humans met new races?"

"Yeah, though we didn't learn sign language until after signs had been decided," Alec answered, his eyes still on the terrain in front of the Nomad.

Terry nodded her agreement, "New signs are usually created communally. I'm not sure how much of a deaf or HoH community exists in the Initiative, though."

"Not much beyond us three," Alec replied, glancing back for a moment. "Most people rely on medicine to correct something like that."

Another nod and Terry looked thoughtful. Jaal asked, "What is HoH?"

"It's shorthand for Hard of Hearing," Peebee told him. "Do angara go deaf?"

A shrug of Jaal's broad shoulders that made his rofjinn ripple. "Sometimes, as we grow older, it's harder for us to hear or see. Not many have lived that long since the kett."

"If we have anything to say about it, they will," Alec responded firmly.

Terry nodded again and reached forward to lightly punch Jaal's shoulder. "We have your back."

"How can you--" Jaal looked at her curiously.

A smile quirking the corner of her mouth, Terry gently interrupted, "Idiom."

"Oh." Peebee couldn't stop a giggle at Jaal's reaction.

*

After seeing off Niilj and the other Resistance members, Jaal turned to Alec, "This is big. Liberating key Resistance agents and recovering information they stole from the kett." Alec nodded, trying not to shiver in the cold. "You've put many doubts about you to rest, Ryder. Even Evfra must now be convinced of your intentions."

"What about the data drive Niilj entrusted to us?" Alec asked, touching the pouch on his belt where he'd carefully stowed it.

Jaal nodded, looking thoughtful. "If you prefer, we could go to Techiix now, and speak to Evfra later. The choice is yours."

"They wouldn't have given it to us if it _wasn't_ time-sensitive," Terry pointed out, pressing close to Alec for warmth. "We probably should take care of it first."

Alec wrapped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently. "Terry's right. We should get the data drive to Techiix and talk to Evfra later."

"I thought you might say that." Jaal looked pleased rather than annoyed by Alec's choice. "I will keep Evfra apprised of our progress here."

As they headed back to the Nomad, Peebee asked, "Is that rem-tech I'm looking for on the way to Techiix?"

"I don't know." Jaal opened up the map on his omni-tool. "Do you have a navpoint?"

Nodding, Peebee tapped at her omni-tool to send it to Jaal's. He studied the map for a moment. "Yes, it is only slightly out of our way to Techiix."

"Yes, we'll make a quick stop for it on the way," Alec told Peebee before she could even ask.

Terry laughed when Peebee pouted at Alec for a moment. They climbed into the Nomad and set off. After a detour to pick up Peebee's rem-tech and help a sniper kill a cloaked wraith, they finally reached Techiix. When Alec gave the data drive to Buxil, it turned out to contain schematics for the kett facility with all the entrances and exits as well as details about the security protecting it. "Wait, there's something else here...oh. That's not good."

"What is it?" Terry asked, stepping up beside Alec.

Buxil answered her question without hesitation. "The base entrances are shielded and locked with a code which changes. Often."

"That could be a problem," Alec drummed his fingers on his leg. "How recent is that data?"

She didn't look away from the data. "The metadata tells me they downloaded this weeks ago. The code is about to change again. If an attack is going to happen, it needs to happen now."

"Let us help," Alec and Terry offered at the same time. They glanced at each other in surprise, and then Terry glanced down at the floor. Alec continued alone: "Tell us what to do."

Buxil looked between them curiously for a moment. "The code to disable the security shield is encrypted, but I'll keep working on it. I've sent you the map and a navpoint for a side entrance that won't have as many guards." They checked their omni-tools to confirm. "Go, quickly! We'll be in touch."

*

"One hell of a trip this is turning out to be," Liam remarked to Freddy as they waited on the _Tempest_ for news from Alec and Terry. "Hostiles, ruined worlds, no home in sight. Everyone's getting toasty."

Freddy gave him an ironic look. "It's fucking _cold_ outside, Liam. How else are we going to stay warm right now?"

"You know what I mean." Liam punched his shoulder with a grin. "There was a two-hour argument yesterday and no one even knew how it started."

He nodded, remembering that. He'd left it to Alec to sort things out, but the fact that it happened bothered him. "We're supposed to be a team. We can't fight the kett if we're fighting each other."

"Exactly." Still grinning, Liam seemed pleased that Freddy understood where he was going. "Luckily, I have the perfect way for people unwind: movie night."

Freddy considered that, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "That'll be fun. We used to do that when we were little." He felt tears prick at the back of his eyes at the thought of him and Terry curling up between their parents and watching movies together. "It shouldn't take much to talk Dad into it."

"Best part is, it doesn't need to be good," Liam agreed, either not noticing or at least not commenting when Freddy quickly scrubbed his eyes. "Still get mileage out of the bad ones."

He couldn't stop a chuckle because he knew _exactly_ what Liam meant. "Oh, yeah. Some of them, you can turn it into a drinking game, too."

"Yeah, but we should probably save that for another time." Liam laughed, punching his shoulder again. "It's worth it to jumpstart the pioneer spirit and all that. The _Tempest_ database is pretty dry. I don't suppose you or your dad or sister could download a movie library from Nexus Ops? To see what we have to work with?"

Freddy nodded, still smiling a little. "I'll see what I can do next time we head there."

"Thanks." Liam held up his fist and Freddy bumped his against it. "Everyone will appreciate it."

Grinning, Freddy turned to leave and ducked into the Terry's half of the Pathfinders' quarters. Alone, he let the cheerful façade drop and pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes. _I miss Mom. I hope Dad and Terry finish soon.  
_

*

Even though she'd fought and worked alongside her father on three planets now, Terry still found it surprising when the two of them said and did things at the same time. More than once, both in the Milky Way and Andromeda, others had commented on how alike they were. They'd arrived at the entrance to the kett base and Terry pushed the thought away so she could focus on fighting. They managed to wipe out the kett and destroy the landing platforms for their ships. It would hopefully take them a long time to recover from a blow like this. They met Buxil on the pathway that led into the main base itself. Their success seemed to impress her, "We tried to take down this place for months, and you made it look so easy."

"We couldn't have done it without the data Niilj and his team retrieved," Alec told her firmly.

She nodded to accept what he said. "Destroying their command structure and systems leaves the rest of the kett vulnerable. Remember Ja Niihk? The shield around it's come down."

"The frozen city?" Terry asked, pressing close to Alec when a gust of cold wind swept the walkway the next moment.

Alec wrapped his arm around Terry as Buxil nodded again. "That's the one. This is the perfect opportunity for a final push, while they're still dealing with the chaos."

"What can you tell us about this ancient city?" Terry asked before Alec could say anything, eager to know more about anything that old.

If Terry's eagerness surprised Buxil, she didn't show it, just telling them, "They say it was abandoned when the Scourge hit. The cold came, and it was trapped in ice. The kett learned we were investigating and took it. They think they can plunder it for Remnant secrets. Let's hope they haven't completely destroyed everything."

"We should probably head back to Techiix first," Alec replied after weighing their options first. "I know you angara have adapted to the cold, but we humans haven't."

Buxil glanced between them, looking amused, and nodded. "A rest and resupply sounds wise. We can take my shuttle and get you out of the cold sooner."

"Thank you." Terry gladly climbed aboard once she opened the hatch. The others followed close behind and settled into their seats while the hatch closed and Buxil moved to the cockpit.

Peebee followed her and asked to sit with her. Though she seemed surprised by the request, Buxil nonetheless agreed and Peebee sat in the copilot's seat. Jaal sat down across from Alec and Terry, looking concerned. "If humans are not adapted for extreme temperatures like this, what will you do on Voeld?"

"SAM noted that there are monoliths here, just like on Habitat 7 and Eos," Alec explained, taking Terry's hands in his and rubbing them briskly.

Wishing for something warm to drink or eat, Terry added, "I looked through the scans from Aya and there's definitely monoliths there, too."

"Right." He nodded, accepting her correction. "If we can find them and activate them, we'll find the vault, too, and reset that."

Terry smiled wistfully. "Once the vault's reset, Voeld will, hopefully, start to warm up and be more habitable for species who aren't adapted to extreme cold."

"Perhaps that should be your priority instead of investigating Ja Niihk?" Jaal suggested quietly. "Given your vulnerability to the cold."

Alec chuckled. "I had been considering that."

*

Evfra had been waiting for the vidcall from the human Pathfinder. Despite reports from Jaal, Anjik, and Buxil, he was still wary of these humans and their desire to study the Remnant. Ryder wasn't alone, Jaal stood beside him, "Commander."

"Pathfinder." He kept his tone carefully neutral. "Jaal's been keeping me updated on your 'adventures,' your 'good deeds' on our behalf."

Ryder nodded, looking earnest. "I meant them. I want you to know that you can trust us."

"You rescued Shavod-gaan," Evfra admitted that much. Jaal looked surprised. "His loss would have been hard for the Resistance." Still, he refused to trust these aliens. "But your true agenda is clear--to explore Aya's vault. Jaal says you want to help find the Moshae. Why should I let you?"

This time, the Pathfinder leaned forward. "I'd like this to be the beginning of a strong relationship."

"Keep your promises and little by little our bond might grow." As long as they continued to keep their word, this relationship would strengthen. "We've managed to trace the Moshae to a special kett facility on Voeld."

Ryder frowned and looked curious. "Why special?"

"These facilities are protected by a dynamic shield tech that we haven't been able to crack." It frustrated their specialists because they _knew_ many of their people were hidden behind these shields, but they couldn't get through them. "We're close, but its ability to adapt outstrips the speed of our current processors."

The Pathfinder glanced down for a moment, and then back at him. "Evfra, I can help. Respectfully, this time, you _need_ my help."

"Respectfully," he threw the word back at Ryder, nettled by the human's use of his first name without permission, "the angara don't _need_ anything from you. We take care of our own."

Ryder took a deep breath and told him, "With the processing power of my AI, I can guarantee the shield breach."

"AI?" Evfra hadn't expected that! He'd heard rumors that the aliens from the Milky Way had AI, but he hadn't expected them to be confirmed and by one of their leaders, no less. It did suggest, at least in part, why Ryder was able to interact with Remnant technology when no angara could. "Of course. That makes sense."

Looking encouraged, the Pathfinder explained further, "He's physically connected to me and so I need to--well, I _want_ to go."

"It was risky to be honest about your AI." Evfra had to concede that point. He wondered if Ryder knew that the kett disliked and distrusted any and all AI. "And honesty makes you different from the kett."

The faintest of chuckles escaped Ryder. "I hope so."

"You're welcome on the mission." He finally gave in to the inevitable. These humans could be very stubborn.

Now a small smile appeared. "Thank you, Commander."

"A team will meet you at our base on Voeld," Evfra told them. "They'll take you to the kett facility. Stay strong and clear. Goodbye."

Before he could end the call, Ryder replied, "Take care."

Slowly, Evfra walked over to the window and looked out at the view. He'd fought the kett for so long. It was strange to think that they might make headway after all. Taking a deep breath of the clean, fresh air, he returned to his desk. There was another matter he needed to sort out while the Pathfinder rescued the Moshae. _  
_

*

"Abandoned personal effects, a datapad with a last letter on it," Terry murmured thoughtfully as she stood up. Drawing in a breath, she turned to Alec with wide eyes. "This reminds me of the Nazi concentration camps in Eastern Europe."

Alec frowned in thought, trying to remember what he'd been taught about that. His interest in history didn't go that far back. Reluctantly, he shrugged. "I'll take your word for it, Terry. History wasn't one of my strengths."

"At least, not _that_ sort of history." Terry teased weakly.

They continued further into the facility, finding living quarters and a classroom of some kind. "Whatever they are, they need to learn to be what they are now."

"That's worrying," Terry mused, picking up a datapad and reading the text on the screen. Frowning, she looked up at Alec. "This looks like an essay question I'd have to answer for a philosophy class."

Alec picked up a datapad on the desk beside him. "This one looks like a question from your mother's coursework. It's something to do with genetics."

"I'm downloading all information from the datapads and consoles as you access them," SAM informed them primly.

Jaal had remained by the door as Alec and Terry poked around. "We need to find the Moshae."

"Right, we'll puzzle this out later," Alec agreed, gently tugging Terry towards the door.

Stifling a sigh, she followed along without further prodding. Eventually, they watched an angara become kett right before their eyes. Though Jaal protested, they had to kill the newly-turned kett. As he wept beside the body, Peebee quietly continued to scan for the Moshae. Terry dropped to her knees beside Jaal and hugged him, her eyes shut tight and her lips pressed into a thin line. Alec crouched on Jaal's other side. "How can we help? What do you need?"

"This... helped." He squeezed Terry for a moment, and then sat back on his heels. "I don't know what else, though."

As Terry and Jaal stood up, she offered, "Well, finding the Moshae would be a start, right?"

"If anyone can figure out what this means for the angara, I'm betting it's her," Alec added, relieved that Terry had thought of it.

Jaal nodded his agreement, looking between them with a relieved expression. "You're probably right."

"Ryder and Ryder! Jaal! She's here, hurry!" Peebee reported via their comms.

As Jaal headed in her direction, Alec caught Terry's arm and asked quietly, concerned, "Are you all right?"

"No, but I can finish this," Terry replied, some of her distress and shock showing in her violet eyes for a few moments.

Alec nodded, suspecting why she was taking this revelation hard. "Let's go save the Moshae and get out of this house of horror."

"I like that plan." Nodding, Terry hurried with him after Jaal and Peebee.

*

Moshae Sjefa sensed the arrival of three of the aliens--'humans' as Jaal had called them. The leader, the one Jaal had referred to as Alec Ryder, moved to stand beside Jaal, arms folded across his chest. The other two, his children, stood at the end of Sjefa's bed. The woman, Terry, had her arms wrapped across her waist. The man, Freddy, had one arm wrapped around her shoulders. She addressed Alec, "Jaal says you're a 'Pathfinder' from the Milky Way."

"Do you feel up for a talk?" Ryder asked, his voice sounding gruff.

Sjefa scoffed at the question. " _Now_ you're willing to listen."

"I _did_ listen, to Jaal," Ryder replied, his arms tensing and violet eyes narrowing. "Your _people_ were in that facility. Your best fighters and scientists. If I'd done what _you_ wanted, they'd all be _dead_." Terry flinched, moving closer to her brother. Ryder took a deep breath, relaxing his posture. "If I've learned _anything_ on this trip to Andromeda, it's that _every_ life is precious. We can't replace your people if something happens to them."

"And now they'll be exalted because you left the facility intact," she reminded him, a little surprised that he was being so stubborn.

Freddy cleared his throat, drawing their attention to him. "I find it _highly_ unlikely that that was the only such facility the kett have built in this sector. Destroying it wouldn't have stopped exaltation altogether. Just on Voeld."

"It's awful," Terry murmured, violet eyes distant and unseeing, prompting Freddy to wrap his other arm around her. "Forcing the angara and who knows what other species to become someone they're _not_ without any regard for what _they_ want."

She'd barely met humans, so Sjefa wasn't quite sure how to interpret the look on Ryder's face as he stared at his children. The way the siblings--twins--embraced, however, reassured her that they weren't _all_ like the Exiles. After watching his children for a few moments, Ryder turned back to Sjefa. "I understand why you wanted to destroy that facility. If your people hadn't been at risk, I'd have gladly told SAM to bring the place down."

Terry made a distressed sound and dashed out of the room, Freddy hot on her heels. Shortly after the door closed behind him, it re-opened to admit him once again. Ryder looked at his son, eyebrows arched. Freddy offered a small smile and signaled something with his fingers that Sjefa didn't understand. Ryder did, though, and nodded. "I know you wish to access the vault on Aya. I won't let emotions get in the way of science, so I _will_ take you there."

"Thank you, Moshae Sjefa." Ryder smiled at her, small and relieved. "We'll leave you to rest until we get to Aya."

"Family is precious, Alec Ryder," she told him, catching his arm before he could move away. He looked at her curiously. "Don't forget that."

He gave a weak chuckle. "I won't, Moshae Sjefa."

*

Suvi had just stepped out of the lavatory after a shower when Terry practically bowled her over, sending them both crashing to the deck. Between hitting the deck and Terry landing on top of her, Suvi was quite winded and could only stare up at the junior Pathfinder. Violet eyes wide, Terry stared at Suvi for a moment before scrambling awkwardly to her feet and offering her hand to Suvi. "Sorry about that."

"No harm done," Suvi assured her, taking Terry's hand and getting to her feet. "Are you all right?"

Pressing her lips together, Terry shook her head. Still holding Suvi's hand, she headed towards her quarters. She stopped once the doors shut behind them, her back to Suvi though she still held her hand. Terry's shoulders shook and a sob escaped. She clapped her other hand over her mouth, but another sob escaped, and then another. Wondering what had upset Terry, Suvi moved in front of her and gently tugged her into a hug. Terry resisted only for a moment before hugging her tight and letting herself cry. Suvi held her, gently rubbing her back and humming tunelessly.

She didn't know how long they stood there before Terry's tears finally stopped. Quietly, she asked, "Better?"

"Yes, thank you, Suvi." Terry straightened up and kissed her cheek.

"Glad I could help." Suvi ignored the way her heart skipped a beat at the move. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Terry shook her head, sitting down on the couch with a sigh. "No, it's… complicated and… I don't know if I can explain properly."

"We could talk about something else." Suvi offered, sitting down beside Terry.

After a moment, Terry asked, "When did you start believing in a god? I've been through some shit, so I don't think I can share your faith, but I'd like to know more about it."

"My parents were both scientists.," Suvi told her, relaxing against Terry's side. "My home was ruled by rationality. So when I became a teenager... Let's just say that while other kids found batarian music, I found God."

Terry frowned, sounding a little confused, "But your work as a scientist..."

"...Convinced me even more. Especially when I got into molecular biology, physics..." Suvi shifted so she could see Terry's face as she explained, earnest and determined. "The patterns I kept seeing, over and over again: they were like an artist's watermarks. God, to me, is an artist. An inventor. Not something checking to see if I brushed my teeth."

Smiling, Terry caught Suvi's hand in hers and squeezed it. "I'm really glad you volunteered to join our crew."

"I am too. New galaxy and all." Suvi was determined not to read too much into Terry's words, though her heart pounded at the thought that Terry could mean more. "I'm honored to be here." 

Terry shook her head, her next words coming out in a rush, "No, I mean... I think you're cute and I like seeing you up on the bridge."

"Oh my goodness, Terry!" Suvi sat up straight and covered her cheeks, which she could feel heating up with a blush.

Terry sat up as well, looking shy, but determined, "Also the accent. The accent is... I mean, it's not the only thing, but... uh. Okay. I should…uh…"

"Terry and Suvi to the bridge," Alec's voice came over the comms then, reminding them that they had jobs to do.

Suvi got to her feet. She'd never finished getting dressed. "We both need to go."

"Suvi," Terry stood up and caught her hand.

Smiling shyly, she stretched up to kiss Terry's cheek. "Thank you. And so you know, the feeling's mutual."

"Yes!" Terry looked sheepish the next moment. "I mean, time to help pathfind. Serious business, saving everyone."

Giggling, Suvi slipped out of Terry's quarters and hurried to the crew quarters to finish getting dressed. She found Freddy there, doing something on his omni-tool. Giving him quiet, she quickly finished dressing. As she tugged her gloves into place, he finally spoke, "How's Terry?"

"Wha--" Suvi turned to stare at him.

He sat up, grinning. "I saw her crash into you. I hope you weren't hurt."

"No, just a little winded." She tugged at her gloves, not sure if he had more to say.

Nodding, Freddy stood up. "Is Terry doing better? I know she was upset."

"Yes. Your father called her to the bridge." Suvi nodded. "And me."

Freddy chuckled. "We'd better not keep him waiting, then."

"Do you know why Terry was upset?" Suvi asked him as they left the crew quarters and headed to the bridge.

He shrugged. "I have a pretty good idea, but it's for her to say, not me."

"She didn't tell me, but as long as she has you to confide in..." Suvi shrugged and climbed up the ladder to the bridge.

Freddy followed her up. "She does have me, but something tells me that she has you now, too."

Feeling her cheeks heat, Suvi quickly ducked onto the bridge and headed to her station. Terry and Alec stood at the front, talking quietly. She had her arms wrapped around her waist and he had both hands resting on her shoulders. "...take care of yourself, okay?"

"Okay, Dad." Terry sighed and Suvi noticed the way she relaxed when Freddy joined them, hugging her brother and pressing their foreheads together.

"You okay, Terry?" he asked, just loud enough that only Suvi, Terry, and Alec could have heard.

She made a sign with her hand that Suvi had learned meant, "Yes." Verbally, she added, "Not completely, but I will be."

"Okay." Freddy hugged her briefly, and then let her go as the doors to the bridge opened again.

Jaal and the Moshae entered and both Terry and Alec stood up straighter. Freddy moved away to lean casually against a bulkhead. Alec addressed the two angara. "We're almost to Aya. I thought you'd like to watch as we land."

"And speak when your people challenge us," Terry added a little slyly.

Jaal chuckled and the Moshae eyed father and daughter thoughtfully. "Of course. At least I can be certain that my voice _will_ be heard."

"Moshae..." Jaal replied.

Suvi reluctantly interrupted him. "We're being contacted again."

"Open a comm," Alec told her.

When she did, he gestured to the Moshae, who answered the challenge in the angaran language. After a short exchange, Suvi reported, "They're sending us the same navpoint from before."

"Take us down, Kallo," Alec replied, sounding satisfied.

As he did, Terry remarked, "Well, that went better than _last_ time."

"We _were_ on fire," Freddy reminded her with a laugh.

She made a face at him and Suvi was hard-pressed to stifle her laughter at the exchange. Very briefly, she felt him squeeze her shoulder and relaxed slightly. Whatever was developing between her and Terry, she at least had _one_ of her family members on her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to show that Terry and Alec both still have issues stemming from what happened when she was a teenager. He regrets it, but how do you bring up something that happened 600+ years ago? She just wants him to acknowledge that he screwed up. It'll happen, but it's going to take awhile because neither Alec nor Terry are very good at 'people skills'.


	5. Pursuit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Moshae takes the Ryders to the vault on Aya, giving them a new lead to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not too much of a change, mainly increased the number of people who get to see the vault on Aya with the Moshae.

"I haven't brought anyone here in over twenty years," Moshae Sjefa told them as she led Alec, Terry, and Freddy into Aya's vault. She led them to a familiar console. "There's always been an active display for Aya, but we could never affect it."

Alec stepped forward and spread out his hand above the console, just as he'd done on Eos and Voeld. "Let's see what we can do. SAM?"

The Moshae gasped when it activated a familiar star map that filled the space above their heads. "Yes, this is new--is it similar to the vault on Eos? Tell me, what are you seeing?"

"It matches the scans SAM took," Terry commented, busy with her omni-tool. "Except--"

"This." Freddy pointed at the same point Terry did and the twins grinned at each other. Freddy looked at Sfeja. "What do _you_ see?"

"The vaults--they're a network, as you discovered, however--" the Moshae began, and then glanced expectantly at Alec.

Nodding, he indicated the unusual symbol, his heartbeat quickening at what this could mean. "--they're not connected to each other, but to this place."

"This image was on a relic the Archon showed me," the Moshae told them, looking somber. "He called it Meridian."

Gazing up at the image, Freddy remarked, "It looks like Aya's vault is the only one that's fully connected to it."

"--and it's terraforming, doing what it's meant to do," Terry finished the thought with a smile.

Alec had been studying the star map and pointed out, "The vault on Eos is also present, but changed. Our interfacing with it has affected its connection."

"What about Voeld?" Terry asked, staring up at the map. "It's been a bit, hasn't it?"

Another endpoint lit up and SAM answered, "You are correct, Terry. It shows some change as well."

"What do you think, professor?" Alec asked the Moshae.

She answered without hesitation, as if she'd already reached her conclusion. "I think that Meridian is the control center for all the vaults."

"This discovery might just change everything," Terry told them, her eyes sparkling with eagerness. "If we can get to Meridian, maybe we can turn everything on from there." She looked from the Moshae to Alec to Freddy. "Make Heleus live."

Freddy moved to his sister's side and hugged her gently. "How are we going to find it, though? This is just a map of the network of vaults."

"The Archon knows where it is," the Moshae told them, her voice quiet and pained. "He's already been there."

Alec turned towards the Moshae, his heart sinking at the thought. "To Meridian? You're sure?"

"Of course, that's why he tortured me." She shuddered and Freddy reached out to squeeze her arm sympathetically. "He thought I could help him use it."

"Because he can't," Terry finished the thought, wrapping her arms across her middle.

Alec reached over and squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. "Meridian is our people's best chance for survival. We have to take it from him."

"Agreed." The Moshae nodded, her gaze encompassing all three of them. "Such power in the hands of such evil could mean the end of your people--and mine."

"No one is safe as long as he's on this hunt." Alec stood as straight and tall as he could. "I'm going to shut it down--for all our sakes."

Moving away from his children, Alec returned to the console and lifted his hand so SAM could make a copy of the map. As he worked, the Moshae told them, "You're going to need that relic I saw. The Resistance might have intel on the whereabouts of the Archon's ship."

"I'll meet you at the Resistance headquarters," Alec assured her, turning and squeezing Terry's arm once more now that SAM had the map.

Nodding, the Moshae led them from the vault. Once the shuttle they'd taken landed, the Moshae set off briskly. Alec and the twins followed at a slower pace. "Are you sure about taking something from the Archon, Dad?"

"It's our best lead, Terry," he replied, squeezing her arm again. "Why don't you and Freddy enjoy the city? You know I'll share whatever Evfra tells me."

They glanced at each other, and then nodded. Freddy reached out and punched Alec's shoulder. "See you soon, Dad."

"See you." Terry caught Alec's hand and gave it a squeeze.

He watched them wander off towards the marketplace, and then turned to continue towards the headquarters alone. The meeting with Evfra and the Moshae was fruitful, if troubling. As he walked towards the marketplace in search of his crew, SAM warned him that he'd been scanned. Spotting the angara woman responsible, he greeted her with a friendly smile, "Hello there."

"I'm working," the woman replied, not looking at him.

Tilting his head to one side, he said, "You scanned me pretty hard. That _wasn't_ your way of saying 'welcome, stranger'?"

"I wanted to be discreet." The angara still hadn't turned towards him, 

Alec raised his eyebrows, amused. If not for SAM, he wouldn't have noticed her scan. "Noted. What's your interest in me?"

The woman finally turned towards him, her eyes bright with curiosity. "You're an alien on my homeworld. Why wouldn't I be interested?"

"You could've asked," Alec pointed out.

Amused, she asked, "Fine. Will you submit to a full-spectrum analysis of your biology?"

"You haven't even told me your name," Alec reminded her. Before she could reply, he added, "I'm Alec Ryder, human pathfinder for the Andromeda Initiative."

Nodding her head slightly to acknowledge that, the woman replied, "Daanfre, biological researcher. This is my home."

"Are you looking for something specific?" Alec wondered. He knew _he_ had specific questions, but he'd not had a chance to ask them yet.

Her smile returning, Daanfre explained, "We share many external similarities. I want to learn if that holds true internally."

"I have a scanner," Alec pointed out, holding up his arm so the omni-tool lit up. "Seems only fair you let me go first." Daanfre's smile faded as she studied him. After a few moments of silence, he added, "It's my final offer."

Her smile returning again, Daanfre told him, "You're bold, Pathfinder. All right. Scan me."

"Thank you, Daanfre." Alec lifted his arm so he could scan her. He listened to SAM's report on their private channel and nodded. "All done. You're interesting."

She lifted her arm so she could scan him. Studying the results, she commented, "When we face extinction, family is our final comfort. Do you understand that?"

"I came to this galaxy with my family," Alec told her quietly, thinking of the twins, Harry, and Ellen. "I almost lost both of my children within our first day here. I'm lucky that they survived."

Sadness shadowed her face for a moment. "You are lucky, indeed. They will both carry on your legacy in the end."

"Yes, they will." Alec nodded, catching a glimpse of Terry over Daanfre's shoulder, holding Suvi's hand as they entered a nearby building together, both faces bright and wide-eyed with wonder and curiosity 

Daanfre's voice brought his attention back to her, "Family is everything. Not only the one we have now, but the ones that follow us. What will your family look like in five generations? Ten? How many of you will there be?"

"You're worried there'll be more of us than you," Alec remarked, raising his eyebrows at the questions she asked.

She didn't answer his statement directly. "I have 23 grandchildren. I want to know what _their_ grandchildren will inherit."

"Humans don't have families _that_ large," he told her, overwhelmed by the thought of that many grandchildren.

She tilted her head with a slight smile. " _Humans_ don't, but several other alien species have come with you. Goodbye, Pathfinder."

"Goodbye, Daanfre." She walked away and he continued on his way, pondering the idea of grandchildren. Neither twin had shown signs of settling down back in the Milky Way, but he was encouraged by the time they spent with Suvi and Peebee.

He spotted Freddy standing with Gil and Jaal, examining some sort of device. Deciding to leave them to it, he joined Drack and Liam at a counter of some sort. It was time to enjoy some shore leave himself.

*

"Paavoa, Ryder!" the angaran woman welcomed Terry as she led Suvi over to her. "I'm glad they finally let you into the city. You deserve it."

Smiling, Terry held up her arm like the Moshae and governor had done. After a moment of surprise, the woman smiled and held up her arm against Terry's. "I don't know about deserving it, but I'm glad we're here." 

"This is Aya's cultural museum and history archive," the woman told them as Terry and Suvi looked around curiously. "It's small, but I hope to increase our collection. Did your team make it to Havarl?" 

Terry shook her head reluctantly. "Sadly, no. Dad felt Voeld was more important and he's the senior Pathfinder, so..." 

"I understand." The woman glanced at Suvi, who'd been listening and looking. "Who is your friend?" 

Smiling, Terry squeezed Suvi's hand. "This is Dr. Suvi Anwar, the Tempest's science officer. Suvi, this is Avela Kjar." 

"Welcome to Aya," Avela replied, offering her hand to Suvi. 

Returning the squeeze, Suvi released Terry's hand so she could shake Avela's. "Thank you, Ms. Kjar. This is quite a place." 

"It feels like home to me," Avela replied, looking around with a satisfied smile. "Sometimes I think I should move in here." 

Terry giggled. "I know the feeling. I've always loved history myself." 

"It's got a long way to go," Avela added, looking sad for a moment. Then she rallied. "Someday, we'll fill it with relics of the past, each one telling a story and my people will come here to learn--and to remember." 

Taking a step closer, Terry told her firmly, "I'll help you as best I can." 

"We'll need to go to Havarl to do that," Suvi reminded Terry, admiring the way her face lit up when she talked about history. 

Looking sheepish, Terry nodded. "Yeah, good point. Sorry, Avela." 

"You don't need to apologize," Avela told them. "I know it's up to your father." 

Suvi squeezed Terry's hand gently, and then asked, "Do you have any insights on Remnant tech?" 

"Yeah, Dad and I are able to activate it, but we still don't know much about it at all." Terry looked eagerly at Avela. 

Smiling ruefully, she told them, "We don't know much, either. To our understanding, it's always been here. Stars, I would love to be the one to solve that mystery." 

"That's why we're on the Pathfinder team," Suvi told her with a smile. "We want to explore and figure things out." 

Terry nodded her agreement. "Exactly. Thanks, Suvi." She bit her lip, and then said, "I don't know angaran ages well, but you seem pretty young to be in charge here." 

"I'm no younger than either of you," Avela replied, looking amused rather than bothered by their question. "And you're the junior Pathfinder." 

Suvi muffled her giggle against Terry's shoulder. "She makes a good point." 

"Yeah, yeah." Terry rolled her eyes. "When Dad retires, if he does, then I'll basically inherit the job of Pathfinder." 

Avela nodded her understanding. "That's what happened to me. I was apprentice to the former curator here. It was my job to bring him artifacts from other worlds. When he retired, I sort of... fell into his position." 

"Do you miss relic hunting?" Suvi asked, not sure how she'd feel about being stuck in one place instead of being able to explore the cluster with Terry and her family. 

Terry lightly squeezed Suvi's hand as Avela thought about the question. "Some days, but mostly I'm happy to spend more time with each piece." 

"Have you always been into history?" Terry asked after glancing around the museum. 

Avela nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes. When I was young. I would dig up shells and pretend they were ancient armor pieces." When Terry and Suvi giggled, Avela gave a self-depreciating smile. "I've always had a big imagination. With only fourteen siblings, I got lonely sometimes." 

"Fourteen?" Suvi repeated, feeling her eyes grow wide at the thought of ten more siblings. 

Terry nodded. "That's insane." 

"Why?" Avela looked confused. "How many siblings do you two have?" 

Suvi shrugged. "I left four siblings behind in the Milky Way." 

"I just have the one," Terry added. "Mom couldn't have more, though." 

Looking shocked, Avela said, "Oh... that's terrible. I'm sorry." 

"Humans don't generally have large families," Suvi explained, having covered this with Jaal already. "Five children in mine was very large." 

Terry nodded. "Humans used to have larger families, when our medicine wasn't as advanced as it is now." 

"Family is important to angara," Avela told them, looking reassured now. "Especially since the kett came eighty years ago." 

Suvi felt Terry tense beside her and subtly pressed closer to her. "The Initiative will help you against the kett, because they're our enemy, too." 

"Exactly." Terry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The Archon is an arrogant jerk." 

Avela nodded. "I don't think that _quite_ translated, but I understood enough." 

"Good." Suvi smiled, pleased that Terry had asked her to come along. _I wish I could make her smile the way she does when she's talking about history..._

*

Once they'd lifted off from Aya and set course for the Nexus, Freddy went looking for Terry. He found her, surprisingly, curled up in her quarters, watching home videos on her omni-tool. She deactivated it as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Hey, Terry."

"Hey, Freddy." She stifled a cough. "What brings you here?"

He gently rubbed her knee through the blankets. "Just wanted to check in with you. After the way you ran out of the medbay…"

"Fuck." She sighed, scrubbing her eyes as she rolled onto her back. "I'm surprised you didn't follow me."

Grinning, he shifted to face her, bumping her leg with his knee. "Who says I didn't?" He could still see Terry crashing into Suvi, sending them both to the deck. "I saw you and Suvi disappear in here, so I left you two alone."

"Thank you, Freddy." She smiled wanly before draping her arm across her eyes. "Fucking kett and their fucking exaltation."

Sobering, he shifted to stretch out beside her, like when they'd whisper secrets to each other after bedtime as children. "That really bothers you, doesn't it?"

"They're shoving angara and who knows what other species into this mold regardless of their wishes. Like--" Terry stopped and swallowed hard, her arm still draped across her eyes.

Freddy gently grasped her free hand with his, keeping his voice soft, "Like if you'd been denied HRT by your doctor."

"Yeah." Her voice came out a hoarse whisper and he could see tears trickling down her temple. "Or having Dad refuse to accept me as his daughter instead of his son."

Freddy remembered that confrontation. Terry had requested a family meeting after dinner and told Alec that she was his daughter. He'd stared blankly at her for a moment, and then said, _"No, you're my son."_

_"If you can't accept me as your daughter, then I don't want to be your son, either."_ With that, Terry had stormed out.

Ellen and Freddy had both turned on Alec the moment the door slammed shut behind Terry. He'd looked stricken and upset, even before they'd started in on him. Gently, Freddy tugged Terry's arm down from her face. Her violet eyes were already red-rimmed and she reluctantly looked at him. "He regretted it the moment you walked out. You didn't see his face, even before Mom and I read him the riot act."

"He still rejected me, Freddy," she whispered, and then began to sob.

From past experience, Freddy knew words were useless. He just held Terry and let her cry out the remembered pain of their father's rejection. He rubbed her back and hummed tunelessly, wishing there was more he could do for her. In time, her sobs tapered off and she laid quietly in his arms. After a short silence, he asked, "Feel better?"

"Sort of?" She peered up at him with a faint smile. "Thanks for listening, Freddy. Not just now, but all the time."

Smiling, he pressed his forehead to hers. "How can I do less for my big sister?"

"You know it goes both ways." Terry returned the pressure.

Another short silence and he carefully asked, "Are you going to tell anyone else about being trans? I don't mean shout it from the rooftops or anything. Just, the way you and Suvi are going, she at least should know."

"I-- Um." Terry sighed softly, shifting so she could press her face into Freddy's neck. "You're right, Suvi should know. I don't want to hide it indefinitely, but I'm-- It hurts to be rejected."

Freddy kissed her forehead. "We came to Andromeda for a fresh start in a place where everyone belongs. Including trans people."

"Yeah, you're right." Terry sighed and slowly relaxed in his arms. "We'll see."

Amused to realize that she'd fallen asleep, Freddy made himself comfortable and fell asleep, too.

*

Even if Lexi hadn't asked him to meet the Ryders, Harry would have heard them coming. Terry was arguing with both her father and her brother. "I'm _fine_. There's no need for me to see Harry."

"Lexi recommended it," Alec told her sternly.

Freddy added quietly, "Please, Terry? For our peace of mind at least?"

"Fine." Terry stormed into the Pathfinder quarters on the _Hyperion_ with an exasperated sigh, nodding in greeting. "Hi, Uncle Harry."

He gestured to the bed beside him in a silent request as he replied, "Hi, Terry."

"Let's get this over with," she groused, sitting on the end of the bed with a sigh.

This close, Harry could see that Terry's eyes were a little too bright and sweat beaded on her forehead despite the careful climate control on both the Nexus and the _Hyperion_. If she hadn't inherited her father's dark skintone, Harry was sure her face would have been flushed as well. A quick scan confirmed both Lexi's diagnosis and his own suspicions. "You're sick, Terry."

"No, I can't be." She stared up at him. "Wouldn't SAM--"

Alec looked sheepish as SAM piped up, "I'm only programmed to prevent life-threatening illnesses. Should I have--"

"No, SAM, you did fine," Alec interjected quickly while Terry glared at him.

Terry shook her head at him and started to stand up. "I have to--"

"You're in no shape do anything but rest, young lady," Harry lectured her as he and Freddy caught her when she swayed and helped her sit back down on the bed.

She yawned as Freddy knelt to remove her shoes and socks for her, not even reacting when Harry gave her a shot of medicine. "But, finding a home..."

"We'll manage on our own," Alec told her gently as she reluctantly moved up to lay properly on the bed. "You rest and get well."

"Mmmkay." Terry sighed heavily and curled onto her side as her father and brother tucked her into bed.

Alec leaned down and kissed her forehead. Harry smiled when his lover whispered, "Get well soon, Terry."

"Rest as long as you need to, Terry," Freddy told her, leaning down to kiss Terry's cheek.

Harry walked with them to the door. "I'll take good care of her."

"I know, Harry." Alec smiled wanly and hugged Harry tight, kissing his cheek.

Harry returned the hug and the kiss on the cheek before turning to hug Freddy in turn. "Thanks, Uncle Henry."

"Alec." Harry kept his lover back while Freddy headed down the corridor. "Make sure to tell Lexi that her suspicion was correct and to stop doubting herself."

Laughing softly, Alec nodded. "I will. What about vaccines?"

"I'll leave that up to her," Harry told him with a sly smile.

Alec made a face. "Fine."

"Say hi for me," Harry added.

Nodding, Alec strode down the corridor in his son's wake. When Harry returned to check on his new patient, Terry was sitting up, looking confused. "Why'm I here, Uncle Harry?"

"You have a cold and we don't need you spreading it to the rest of Andromeda," Harry explained, ignoring the way his heart ached at being called 'uncle'. Hopefully, he'd be a father one day. "Especially with medicine in short supply right now."

She made a face, remarkably similar to the one her father had made just minutes before, and laid back down. "Okay, okay." As he scanned her again, she caught the hem of his tunic in her hand. "Thanks, Uncle Harry."

"Always, Terry."

*

"Hey, Freddy." Peebee greeted him with a quick kiss. "Terry all right?"

He shrugged, catching one of her hands. "She caught a cold. Harry's keeping her on the _Hyperion_ for now."

"That's rough." Peebee squeezed his hand. "Believe it or not, I had a good reason for asking you here instead of--"

Freddy interrupted her with a laugh. "Relax, Peebee. Why did you ask me here?"

"I finished my secret project," she told him with a grin, tugging him over to where a Remnant observer floated on the other side of the main room.

When she explained what she'd done, he was quite impressed. She, of course, had thought of a combat model and he promised to talk with his dad about a combat version. The next moment, they were interrupted by an old 'friend' of Peebee's: Kalinda T'Reve. Freddy couldn't help getting defensive on Peebee's behalf at Kalinda's condescending attitude towards her. He walked her out and offered to listen if Peebee wanted to talk about it. She turned him down. "Time to pack this place up. I'm done with it."

"Would you like some help?" Freddy meant it, too.

Peebee shook her head. "No, this is something I need to do on my own."

"I understand. You know I'll always listen if you want to talk," Freddy told her gently.

Smiling, she gently steered him towards the door. "You're sweet, Freddy, but I need to be alone right now. Okay?"

"Okay." He kissed her cheek before stepping out into the corridor and almost ran into his father. "Whoops! Sorry, Dad."

Alec caught Freddy's arms and steadied him. "It's okay. What are you doing here?"

"Visiting Peebee." He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "What about you?"

As they started towards balcony overlooking hydroponics, Alec scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "Trying to solve a mystery."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Freddy asked, hands tucked into his pockets.

Alec shook his head. "No. The trail's gone cold. I doubt we'll be able to solve it."

"That sucks. I'm sorry." Freddy bumped his shoulder against Alec's. "Got any other plans?"

Shrugging, Alec dropped his hand. "Just a couple meetings. You?"

"Thought I'd find Liam and Jaal and just chill with them for a bit," Freddy replied. He'd also downloaded the Nexus library for Liam, though he wasn't sure when they'd have their movie night now.

Just as Alec opened his mouth to reply, SAM interjected, "Jaal is at the cultural exchange and Liam is at the Vortex."

"I need to go to the cultural exchange anyway," Alec told Freddy. "Why don't I send Jaal to meet you and Liam at the Vortex?"

Freddy nodded, amused that Alec was offering to play messenger when SAM could easily do the same. "Sure. Thanks, Dad."

"Always, Freddy." Alec gave Freddy's shoulder a light punch and continued along the walkway to the upper entrance of the cultural exchange. Humming a little, Freddy headed down the ramp to join Liam at the Vortex.

*

Gil smiled when Freddy entered the Vortex and waved in greeting. Freddy waved back, but headed over to talk with Liam. Gil idly played solitaire as he waited for Alec Ryder to arrive. He'd promised to play poker with Gil and he was looking forward to a challenge. After several strangers entered and exited the bar, Alec finally arrived, talking with Jaal. He led Jaal over to Freddy and Liam, and then walked over to join Gil. "Hello, Pathfinder. Are you ready to be thrashed at poker?"

"Are _you_ ready, Gil?" Alec asked, taking the seat opposite Gil as he scooped up the cards and began to shuffle them. "You can call me Alec if it's easier for you."

Gil nodded, surprised by the offer. Just when he thought he had the Pathfinder figured out. "What were you up to with Jaal just now?"

"Just talking." Alec shrugged, and then raised his eyebrows. "Are we going to play or what?"

Gil nodded and held up the deck of cards. "Shall I deal?"

"No," Alec replied, and then held out his hand.

Laughing, Gil handed over the cards. "All right, then."

"I noticed that you've been spending a lot of time with Freddy," Alec remarked, shuffling and cutting the cards with quick, precise movements.

Gil shrugged, accepting the cards Alec dealt to him. "We mostly talk tech." He nodded over to where Freddy sat with Jaal and Liam now. "Jaal's started joining us. He wants to know how _everything_ works."

"He told me likes to tinker." Alec studied his cards with a thoughtful frown.

He chuckled and started the betting. "Yeah. I asked him not to take things apart without checking with me first."

"Good idea," Alec raised his bet. "I'm glad the twins have made friends here in Andromeda. Life in the Milky Way... it became difficult for them, no thanks to me."

Gil nodded, calling and raising Alec's bet. "Yeah, I heard rumors about--" he tapped his temple where the SAM implant would be.

"I had my reasons," Alec answered coolly, calling Gil's bet.

After a few hands, Gil asked, "Were you holding out on me? You're pretty good at this."

"A good poker player never reveals an advantage," Alec answered with a chuckle.

He shrugged philosophically. "Poker's lost me several friends over the years. The only one who still played me was my buddy Jill--I know, I know: Jill and Gil."

"I wasn't going to say anything about that." Alec glanced over towards Freddy. Gil followed his glance and raised his eyebrows when he saw that Liam and Jaal had left and Peebee had joined the youngest Ryder. "I think you mentioned her? She's part of the Initiative?"

Gil nodded, turning his attention back to his cards. "Yep. She's a fertility expert and would have been awake already if we hadn't had such a crappy start here in Andromeda."

"Not much call for a fertility expert when there wasn't a guarantee that adults would live long enough to _have_ children." Alec's expression turned sad for a moment. "The twins had ear infections when they were babies. Ellen--" he paused to clear his throat "--we worried for a while that they wouldn't survive."

He grimaced at that. He'd heard something about a close call on Habitat 7 for both Alec and Terry. He'd had no idea that there'd been another one long before that. "Well, they did and they even came to Andromeda with you. Jill's my only real friend from back home. I bet fifty."

"I call." Alec answered with a nod, and then snapped his fingers. "Wait, I recognize Jill's name now. She's head of the CRC, right?"

Gil nodded, not surprised that Alec knew of her already. "Yeah, before we left the Milky Way, she always teased me that I'd make her job harder once she got out of cryo." He shrugged. "Said if I'm not making babies, I'm part of the problem. We have that kind of relationship."

"Sounds disrespectful of her," Alec replied, frowning thoughtfully. "It doesn't bother you?"

Gil shook his head, surprised that Alec didn't like the idea of Jill teasing him about being gay. "Nah, she's like family. Supports me unconditionally. We just ride each other like that."

"So do the twins, but they'd _never_ tease each other about being gay or lesbian, if they actually were, anyway." Alec smiled faintly. "They were taught better than that."

He shrugged, trying to maintain his poker face. "I don't know if you met her before we left the Milky Way--"

"Briefly," Alec admitted.

Gil nodded, not surprised. "Well, I'd like you to meet her again once she wakes up. You'll see. She's amazing. Another hundred."

"I call," Alec replied, looking calm. "From what I remember, she argued strongly for the CRC members to be awakened right away."

Gil winced, both at Alec's comment and the fact that his bluff hadn't worked. "Ouch, the hand is yours. As for waking up the CRC, yeah, Jill hated the idea of missing _any_ of Andromeda."

"It's for the best that she didn't get her way," Alec remarked as Gil gathered the cards together.

He nodded and offered his hand to Alec. "Well, the winning streak is over. You beat me, Alec, fair and square."

"No hard feelings, I hope?" Alec asked, smiling as he shook Gil's hand.

Gil shook his head. "Nope. Jill predicted one of you Ryders would be my downfall."

"I know you go with your gut a lot," Alec commented as they stood up and walked towards the door. "Please try to think things through a little regarding your friendship with Jill."

Frowning, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, teasing you about being gay," Alec pointed out. "Do you tease her about--"

When Alec hesitated, Gil supplied, "Being straight? Nah."

"If you're not _both_ teasing each other about it, then I'd seriously think about your friendship as a whole," Alec suggested quietly. "Everyone has their boundaries. What are yours and does she respect them?"

Before he could formulate a reply, Alec's omni-tool chimed with an alert. He tapped it and Cora's voice replied, "Sir, the _Tempest_ is fully resupplied. She's ready to go when you are."

"Thanks, Harper," Alec replied, his voice brisk. "I'll be there shortly." Dropping his arm, he said, "SAM, let the others know to start wrapping up their business here. We'll be heading out soon."

SAM responded promptly, "Yes, Pathfinder."

"I should double-check that the techs didn't screw up the _Tempest_ while they were checking it out." Gil started towards the docks.

Alec fell into step with him. "I'm sure Jill is a good person and a good friend, Gil."

"She is and I understand your concern," Gil answered, never breaking stride. "I have work to do right now, though."

With that, he sped up his pace. A quick glance back before he turned a corner and he saw that Freddy had joined his father. Gil wished for a moment that he'd known his own father. Shaking off that thought, he continued towards the docks. He had a ship to prep for flight and no time for wishful thinking.

*

"You're not the only one with an awful ex," Freddy remarked to Peebee as they floated together in the escape pod that served as Peebee's bedroom.

At SAM's suggestion, they'd turned it into a zero-gee chamber and fooled around a bit. Now, as they floated and basked in the afterglow, Freddy's revelation seemed to come out of the blue. At his remark, she looked at him in surprised curiosity. "Oh? You have one, too?" 

"Yeah: Simon Chesterson," Freddy confided quietly after a long moment, pain in his violet eyes. "Terry and I both had a crush on him at one point." 

Peebee shifted in midair, firmly pushing away the fact that she was flattered that he confided in her at all about something that was clearly very painful to him. She hated to add to his pain, but this wasn't what they agreed on. "Why are you telling me about him?" 

"I thought it might help you to know that everyone has baggage of their own." Freddy turned and twisted, grabbing at his clothes as they floated by him. "You have Kalinda, I have Simon." 

She sighed heavily, maneuvering down towards the controls. So much for basking... "Freddy, we already agreed: no strings." 

"This isn't about attaching strings, Peebee," he retorted, grabbing a handle to help steady himself as she adjusted the gravity back to its usual setting. "This is about being friends." 

She kept her back to him as she snatched up her clothes and began dressing. "I'm not here to make friends, Freddy. I'm here to figure out Rem-tech." 

"Could've fooled me," he muttered, sounding frustrated. 

When Peebee turned to face him, he was fully dressed except for his shoes and socks, which he held in one hand. "You have your dad and Terry, and everyone else on the crew to befriend, Freddy. That's not me." 

"Keep telling yourself that, Peebee," he replied, stepping close to her, violet eyes boring into her gold ones. "We both know it's really because Kalinda hurt you with her change of heart and you don't want to risk that again, so you're keeping everyone at arm's length." 

Scowling, she used her biotics to push him away from her, almost out of the pod. "I need to be alone now, Freddy. Out." 

"See you, Peebee." He climbed out of the pod and left. 

Alone, she slapped the button to shut the hatch and turned off the gravity again. She hated to admit that it wasn't nearly as relaxing alone as it had been with company. _Why'd he have to go and open his big mouth? We were **fine**!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm mean to split the Ryders up, but I have good story reasons for it.


	6. Welcome to Kadara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Freddy begin working on Kadara to make it habitable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter Reyes Vidal and part of the reason for separating the Ryders.

"Does he even know how to _relax_?" Reyes Vidal muttered to himself as he watched Alec Ryder lean stiffly against the bar in Kralla's Song. The young man with him could only be his son.

As Reyes made his way downstairs, he heard Umi exclaim, "Hey!"

"Piss off." The gruff response could only have come from a krogan. Reyes remembered seeing him standing at the bar.

Not surprisingly, Umi was undeterred. "You order, you pay."

"I said--" the krogan thought better of blowing her off when she stabbed the bar.

As he paid and wandered off, Reyes finally approached the two Ryders, charming smile firmly in place. "You look like you're waiting for someone."

He held up three fingers and Umi placed three cups on the bar. Picking up two, Reyes offered them to the Ryders. While the younger took the offered drink, the elder peered cautiously at it. A nudge from his son and the Pathfinder accepted the cup. "We've got time for a drink."

Once they'd taken sips, he told them, "Shena, but you can call me Reyes. I hate code names."

"I was expecting someone more... angaran." Alec shook his hand.

"I'm Freddy Ryder," he added with a grin as he shook Reyes' hand in turn.

"The Resistance pays me to supply information--among other things." He winked, letting them draw their own conclusions.

Alec raised his eyebrows, his voice... flat. "So you're a smuggler."

"Dad, don't be rude," Freddy hissed with another nudge of his elbow into Alec's side.

Reyes tilted his head and led them over to the window, looking out at the inhospitable yet lovely landscape of Kadara. "Your man--Vehn Terev, was arrested by Sloane Kelly, leader of the Outcasts. Word spread about what he did to Moshae Sjefa."

"Well, shit," Freddy muttered, leaning back against the post between windows.

Alec leaned on the windowsill beside Reyes. "Crude, but accurate. What does Sloane plan to do with him?"

"The people are calling for his execution," Reyes told them with a sigh, wishing he had better news. "And Sloane, she's a woman of the people."

Alec shook his head and muttered, "Of course she is. A place like this, she _has_ to keep her people happy, otherwise they'd turn on her."

"You work for the Initiative," Reyes glanced between them, trying not to linger on Freddy. "Sloane was part of the uprising on the Nexus. I doubt she'll give Vehn up easily."

Alec glanced down for a moment. "I guessed she'd been part of the mutiny. She and I never really got along back in the Milky Way."

"It'll probably be worse here because she'll have the advantage," Freddy pointed out, running his fingers through his hair. "And she'll _know_ it."

Straightening up, Alec told them, "I'm taking Terev, with or without her permission."

"We're gonna be friends, you and I," Reyes told them with a grin. _This may be **just** the opening the Charlatan needs._ "There might be another way to get to Vehn. You work Sloane. I'll talk to the Resistance."

With that, he straightened up as well and headed to the door. After a few paces, Freddy asked, "How do we contact you if things go south?"

Smiling, Reyes just winked and continued from the bar. Just as the door closed behind him, he heard Umi: "Hey! You gotta pay!"

*

"Well, now we know Mom didn't fall for your charm and wit," Freddy remarked as he and Alec left Sloane's throne room. "You sure have a way with the ladies."

Alec grunted in reply. "I told you we didn't get along back in the Milky Way. She was discharged for punching a superior officer and now she's leading exiles who mutinied."

"I'm sure she had her reasons," Freddy offered, though he doubted that would change Alec's mind about Sloane.

Before he could continue or Alec could reply, a voice called, "Pathfinder, over here!" They spotted Reyes waiting a short distance away and walked over to join him. "Have a nice chat?"

"I think she likes Dad." Freddy couldn't resist making another dig at his father.

Alec grunted again and folded his arms across his chest. Chuckling, Reyes told them, "Don't worry, I found a workaround."

"Let me guess--" Alec eyed Reyes suspiciously. "It comes with strings attached."

Amusement glinting in his hazel eyes, Reyes assured them, "Not any _new_ ones. Remember: Evfra wants Vehn alive, so when you get inside, give him this." He handed Alec a container of... something. Freddy couldn't identify it without a scan, though he assumed it was some sort of chemical. "That'll eat through whatever Sloane's holding him in and it can't be traced back to us. A Resistance agent will be waiting to pick Vehn up."

"Vehn's intel better be worth all of this effort," Alec muttered, slipping the container into one of his pockets.

Reyes laughed. "You'll be the judge of _that_ , not me."

"What if he makes a run for it?" Freddy asked, the idea just occurring to him.

Alec shook his head. "If he's smart, he'll know he's safest with the Resistance."

"There's a maintenance shaft around the corner," Reyes told them, tapping his omni-tool. "Sending the access code to your omni-tools." Both Alec and Freddy checked to ensure they received it. "That'll get you inside. You should be able to handle the rest."

Alec nodded. "Freddy, stay back. This will go better with one person instead of two."

"Dad--" he started to protest, but Alec shook his head.

Smiling slyly, Alec told him, "Your old man has done his share of breaking and entering."

"Fine." Sighing, Freddy watched him go.

Next to him, Reyes chuckled again, "Never expected to hear that of all things from your father."

"He still manages to surprise us." Freddy turned to Reyes, a smile lurking at the corners of his mouth as he tried to be stern. "There's still the matter of the bill you left us with."

A smile lingering on his lips, Reyes assured him, "I'm _usually_ the model gentleman."

"I don't believe you," Freddy couldn't stop his smile from growing.

His smile growing, too, Reyes admitted, "Because I'm lying." Freddy laughed. "When you and your father are done, come to Tartarus. First round's on me. I promise."

"We'll be there," Freddy promised, part of him pleased that this wouldn't be the last he'd see of Reyes Vidal.

*

Alec wasn't surprised to find only Freddy waiting for him once he finished talking to Vehn. "I take it Reyes had other places to be?"

"I would assume so," Freddy shrugged, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "He'd like us to meet him at Tartarus."

He frowned, puzzled. "What's that? _Where_ is it?"

"I did some checking and it's the bar in the slums down below the port," Freddy told him, his tiny smile disappearing. "It's also how we get to the rest of Kadara."

Alec nodded, clapping Freddy's shoulder. "Right, we should probably gear up before we go down, then."

"Yes, probably." As they walked towards the docks, their attention was caught by some sort of commotion near Kralla's Song. As they drew closer, they noticed a guard standing over a dead body on the ground. A dead _angaran_ body. "I wonder what happened."

SAM, keeping his volume low, offered, "If you would like, Pathfinder, I could provide an analysis of the deceased."

"Good idea. A dead body is never a good thing." Alec pointed his scanner at the body.

He rolled his eyes at SAM's first statement. "He's angaran. There are multiple lacerations on the face and abdomen."

"Another body, I don't get paid enough for this shit," the guard remarked, shaking his head.

Freddy raised his eyebrows. "There's been more than one murder?"

"Seven by my count, but that's all I know." The guard told them, shrugging.

Tapping his chin thoughtfully, Freddy suggested, "Perhaps Reyes would have more information about this?"

"Do you _really_ think he'll have information?" Alec asked as they continued towards the docks. "Or do you want to keep working with him for _other_ reasons?"

Freddy laughed, running his fingers through his hair in a familiar nervous gesture. "Well, I _might_ have an ulterior motive for suggesting that we talk with him about the murders."

"That's what I thought." Alec chuckled. He hadn't heard of Reyes before they'd left the Milky Way, but he'd clearly been stationed on the Nexus, so Alec wouldn't have been involved in the hiring process for him. Still, he was willing to help them get Vehn Terev out of jail and off-planet, so he'd give Reyes a chance.

*

Reyes looked up with a smile when Alec and Freddy entered his room at Tartarus, this time kitted out for fighting and with a krogan and asari trailing behind them. "Pathfinder, Freddy. Vehn is safely off-planet."

"That's good to know," Freddy replied, and then indicated their two friends. "Drack, Peebee, this is Reyes."

The krogan grunted while the asari waved with a grin and a wink. Reyes waved and winked back at her. "Hello. Did you hear about the murders?"

"There's a fresh body outside Kralla's Song," Alec replied, his expression stern. "Some of the locals say it's the Charlatan's handiwork."

Reyes shook his head, quite aware that that was one of the rumors flying around. The only way to dispel it was to uncover the truth. "I don't buy it. The Charlatan is discreet, careful. Whoever did this _wanted_ the bodies found."

"Making a statement," Freddy offered, arms folded across his chest, fingers drumming against his armor.

Ignoring his curiosity about what the fidgeting could mean, Reyes instead asked, "But to who?"

"The killer could be unhappy with how Sloane's running things," Alec offered, shifting his weight and nudging Freddy's foot in the process.

He shook his head. "Less than a third of the victims are Outcasts." Steeling himself, he finally voiced the suspicion that'd been growing. "No, if I was a betting man--and I am--I'd say it was the Roekaar."

"Why would Roekaar be in Kadara Port?' Freddy wondered, dropping his arms.

Alec answered before Reyes could. "It's angaran-built and, before Sloane, I assume it was anagaran-run."

"I think the Roekaar came looking for recruits," Reyes added, with a nod to confirm Alec's statement, "and things got out of hand."

Drack took a step forward, gruffly asking. "What about the angaran victims? Why would they kill their own people?"

"I did some digging," he confided, a little surprised that _Drack_ had pointed out the hole in his theory. "All of the deceased angara were public Milky Way sympathizers."

Freddy winced at that. "So the victims were either _from_ the Milky Way--"

"Or supported us." Reyes shrugged. "It was the only pattern I could find."

Both Alec and Freddy nodded their agreement. "An angaran port run by aliens would be a prime target for their cause."

"Problem is, I've got no proof," Reyes admitted, tapping his fingers on his knee for a moment. He'd always hated asking for help, but he couldn't do more on his own. "And the Resistance doesn't want to antagonize the Roekaar."

Alec sighed. "I guess this is where Freddy and I come in."

"You have the fancy scanner and AI in your head," Reyes reminded him. "Maybe you can find evidence that someone like me would miss. Either it would confirm our theory or point us in the right direction." He took a step closer to them. "People are scared, Pathfinder. This is your chance to win friends in Kadara Port."

Alec nodded, a hint of a smile curving his mouth. "It's been awhile since I played detective. Of course I'll look into it."

"Thanks, Pathfinder," Reyes grinned, relieved that they were willing to work with him. "One of the crime scenes isn't far. Give me a call when you get there."

Alec checked his omni-tool to confirm that he'd received the navpoint. "Talk to you soon."

"Oh, and Pathfinder," Reyes almost caught his arm to stop him, but thought better of it.

Raising his eyebrows, Alec asked, "Yeah?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but..." he hesitated a moment before continuing with his statement. "You're not really liked here. In Kadara Port."

Freddy responded with an exaggerated wince. "Ouch."

"What I'm saying is: you need a friend," Reyes carefully kept his eyes on Alec and did not look at Freddy. "Someone on the inside to help you out. I can be that guy. You need intel on exiles, Sloane, whatever-- come to me."

Alec nodded. "Thanks, Reyes."

"Always, Pathfinder," he replied, finally stepping back and sitting down. He tried to tell himself that his racing heart was because this moved forward his other plans.

As the quartet left, he heard Peebee comment, "Was Jaal planning to visit the port while we're docked here?"

*

They determined that Roekaar _were_ behind the murders and Reyes gave them a navpoint to a nearby hideout and said he would meet them there, but the entrance was empty when they reached it. Freddy turned in place. "Where is he?"

"You like him, don't you?" Peebee asked playfully.

Freddy spun towards her, catching sight of a grin and a wink. He'd flirted with Reyes in front of her, but she didn't seem bothered. "That's not--"

"Don't move!" Armored angara entered from the opposite door before Freddy could finish, aiming weapons at them.

They quickly raised their hands to show that they weren't reaching for their own weapons. Cocking his head, Alec asked, "Were we too loud?"

"Shut up." Clearly, these were the Roekaar they were looking for. "Farah will deal with you."

They were marched further into the cave system once they were disarmed. Freddy's heart sank at the sight of so many angara who were opposed to aliens simply because of their horrible experiences with the kett. A green-skinned angaran woman marched up to them, glaring. "I don't need to tell you what happens next."

"You're going to try to kill us," Alec replied matter-of-factly. "I have a few questions first."

She shook her head, slicing the air with a knife she drew from her armor. "No! You'll bleed. Just like the others."

"So it's true." Freddy moved to stand beside his father. "You murdered innocent people."

She got right in his face, angry, practically spitting her words. "Invaders and sympathizers are _not_ innocent. I will protect my home."

"Don't let your hate poison you," Freddy urged her, still hoping to defuse the situation and keep it from coming down to a fight. "We can coexist."

Her answer was skeptical, not that he blamed her. "Like here on Kadara? Sloane lies to my people and uses them for power."

"We are not Sloane," Alec told her, his voice calm and steady.

She narrowed her eyes at them. "You are all the same."

"Look out!" Freddy saw the knife come up and pushed his father out of the way. The next moment, he felt the blade sink into his left side, below the rib cage.

Groaning, he fell to the ground and Alec knelt beside him. "Freddy!"

"It's not that bad," he replied through gritted teeth.

A shot rang out above their heads, followed by the clatter of booted footsteps on metal stairs. Reyes crouched beside Alec, his rifle pointed at Farah. "Not so fast."

"You're late," Freddy told him, teeth still gritted against the pain.

Reyes kept his eyes on Farah. "I've got a good reason. You'll see in three..."

"Don't just _stand_ there!" Farah yelled at her followers.

"Two..."

"Kill them!"

A crate near the middle of the group exploded, burning the closest angara and knocking the ones closest to them off their feet. Alec instinctively crouched over Freddy to block flying debris even though his shields would have protected him. "Still mad?"

Freddy nudged Alec and signed, "I'm fine. Fight."

"Die!" Farah had recovered and Alec quickly seized his own rifle to shoot back.

Drack and Peebee dove for their weapons as well to add their firepower to his. Keeping one hand wrapped around the hilt of the knife to stop it from sliding out, Freddy dragged himself out of the line of fire. "SAM?"

"I've already notified Dr. T'Perro of your injury," he replied, his tone calm despite the din of fighting and shouting that filled the cave.

Seeing something coming towards him, Freddy threw up a biotic field, using it to send the grenade rocketing back towards the Roekaar who threw it. The resulting explosion when it reached him took out a couple of his friends as well as himself. He grinned, pleased that it worked. _All that practicing with Terry and Cora paid off._ Eventually, the sound of fighting petered out and Freddy called out, "Who won?"

"We did," Drack replied, sounding pleased. "Damn good fighting."

Peebee peered at Freddy from around the crates he'd been using as shelter. "I saw that thing you did with your biotics. Cora will be _so_ proud."

"Yeah, yeah." He took Drack's offered hand and slowly stood up, still holding the knife in place.

Alec arrived then and used his scanner on Freddy. "The good news: she missed any vital organs."

"What's the bad news?" Freddy asked, sensing there was more.

Alec sighed. "It won't be safe to remove the knife until we get you to Lexi so she can minimize the blood loss. Especially since we don't have any on hand for transfusions right now."

"I'll be fine." Freddy waved off their concern with his free hand, hissing when his other hand slipped and he cut it on the knife.

Peebee rolled her eyes. "You _can_ use your biotics to keep it there."

"Oh, yeah." Laughing sheepishly, Freddy focused on forming a small, localized biotic shield to keep the knife in place. "There."

Reyes finally joined them, holding a datapad. "I'd say _this_ is pretty conclusive proof that the Roekaar are behind the murders."

"Today, I witness one of our own flirting with that disgusting blue bartender at port," Alec read, taking the datapad from Reyes. "It took all of my self control not to slice him open until he stumbled outside the bar."

Freddy grimaced. "That's probably the one from earlier."

"Once we have enough recruits, the entire planet needs to be cleansed of alien scum and their sympathizers," Alec finished reading. Sighing heavily, he activated his omni-tool. "SAM?"

His tone pedantic, SAM told him, "I have downloaded the entire contents of her log. Multiple entries reference killing 'alien scum' or sympathizers."

"The streets of Kadara are safe again," Reyes observed, sounding pleased as they slowly left the Roekaar hideout. "You did good." He winked. "Don't worry, I'll let all the important people know who to thank."

Leaning on Alec for support, Freddy told him, "We make a good team."

"Careful--I'll start thinking you like me," Reyes told him with a sly smile and a question in his hazel eyes.

Freddy managed a smile in return. "Would that be so bad?"

"Depends." Reyes winked. "Don't be a stranger." He glanced at Alec. "Either of you."

Once Reyes was gone, Alec sighed. "I forgot how much of a flirt you can be. I almost wish _you_ were stuck on the _Hyperion_."

"Just because _you're_ so bad at flirting--" Freddy stifled another hiss of pain as his concentration on his biotic shield wavered.

Alec's amusement disappeared, replaced by worry. "Right, let's get you to Lexi."

"Good idea."

*

Lexi was used to mending gunshot wounds, but it'd been well over 600 years since she'd had to mend a knife wound. As she carefully tended to Freddy, she asked, "Who brought a knife to a gun fight?"

"Roekaar," Drack grunted from his perch on a nearby bed. "She'd been using knives to kill aliens and Milky Way sympathizers."

Alec added, "She _did_ have a gun, too, but the knife was symbolic."

"There were words carved on the first knife," Freddy remarked, flinching as Lexi carefully bandaged his injury. "What about this one, SAM?"

The next moment, SAM answered, "It, too, has 'A home filled with strangers becomes a prison' carved on it."

"Calling card?" Alec offered, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

Freddy hummed thoughtfully. "Most Milky Way species who'd bother to investigate wouldn't know Shelesh well enough to translate it and angarans would either _agree_ with the sentiment or might not say anything to avoid becoming the next victim."

"Take it easy for the next day or so," Lexi told Freddy after scanning him one last time. "Give yourself time to heal."

Even though he made a face, Freddy nodded. "Yes, Lexi."

"Honestly, you Ryders are my _worst_ patients," she added, giving him an antibiotic shot. "Stick to Kadara Port, all right?"

Laughing, he stood up and saluted. "Thanks, Lexi."

*

Reyes raised his eyebrows when Freddy joined him at Tartarus, wearing his civilian clothes. "Freddy. I thought you'd be stuck on your ship."

"Lexi knows keeping a Ryder confined is a bad idea." Moving carefully, he sat down in the chair Reyes indicated.

He smirked. "I'm flattered you chose to join me."

"I missed the pleasure of your company." Freddy winked. "I couldn't help noticing the gang war between the Collective and the Outcasts."

Amused by the obvious ploy for information, Reyes decided to humor him. "Not everyone's happy living under Sloane's thumb. Whatever resources Kadara has goes to the Outcasts. The rest of us get scraps. The Collective claims to be different, but it's hard to trust a faceless leader."

"Especially with a title like the 'Charlatan,'" Freddy pointed out, violet eyes dancing with amusement.

Chuckling, Reyes told him, "Have to admit--I'm jealous. That's a better nickname than 'Shena.'" And he'd had just as much choice over it.

"Any idea where the Collective operates?" Freddy asked, intrigued.

Reyes smiled, hoping this meant that _Alec_ was interested in contacting them. "Rumor has it they have a swanky hideout in one of the caves in Draullir. I've never seen it myself."

"Speaking of your code name--" Freddy gave him an arch look. "What does 'Shena' mean? Or _does_ it mean anything?"

He smiled sheepishly. "It's the angaran word for mouth." A grin slowly curved Freddy's mouth when Reyes took a moment to clear his throat. "I'm good with words."

"'Among other things?'" Freddy asked with a sly tilt of his head and a glint in his eyes that made Reyes' heartbeat accelerate for a moment.

Giving Freddy a sly look of his own, Reyes told him, " _Never_ had a complaint."

"How long have you worked with the Resistance?" Freddy propped his chin on his hand, his gaze intent on Reyes.

He shrugged again. "Few months. When Sloane 'saved' Kadara Port from the kett, Evfra wanted eyes and ears on the ground. Figured people would be more loose-lipped around their own kind." Reyes smirked. "He was right."

"Sloane's tough," Freddy remarked, glancing up at the ceiling, as if in the general direction of Kadara Port. "So are the kett. How'd she take them out?"

Reyes winked. " _Never_ underestimate the element of surprise. The kett weren't ready for an ambush. But they know her tactics now. Next time, Sloane won't be so lucky."

"What about the mutiny on the Nexus?" Freddy asked, turning serious. "Did you play a big part in it?"

Reyes couldn't stop a laugh at the fact that Freddy had assumed _that_. He wasn't the first, to be fair. "I had _nothing_ to do with that shitshow."

"Then why'd you leave?" Freddy adjusted his position with a wince. Reyes grabbed one of the pillows he used when he napped at Tartarus and offered it to him.

Accepting it, Freddy tucked the pillow half behind his back and half next to himself. Once he'd settled again, Reyes explained, "The way Tann handled things didn't exactly inspire confidence. I decided I could do better on my own." He shrugged. "So I jumped ship with the rest of them. Ended up here."

"I--" Freddy stopped short, sitting up sharply. He winced, pressing a hand to his side. "Right, SAM, thank you. Tell Dad I'll get right on that."

Reyes had sat forward when Freddy winced and looked at him curiously. "What was that about?"

"Just something Dad would like me to take care of for him while I'm here." Freddy carefully stood up.

Standing as well, Reyes touched his arm. "Will you be all right?"

"Yes, I just can't move too quick right now," Freddy told him, catching his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be fine."

Reyes nodded, returning the squeeze. "All right. See you later, then."

"See you."

*

By the time Alec returned to Kadara Port, Freddy had the device ready for him. Handing it over, Freddy summarized a conversation he'd had with Reyes. "Honestly, Dad, I think we should try reaching out to the Collective. I don't trust Sloane."

"Neither do I," Alec agreed with a nod. "I wish we knew more about the Charlatan."

Freddy started to shrug, only to stop with a grimace of pain. "According to Reyes and the other rumors I've picked up, no one's been able to figure out who they are. If anyone _does_ know, they're keeping quiet about it."

"Probably for the best if they're moving against Sloane." Alec resisted the impulse to fuss. He hated seeing his children hurt, but Freddy was an adult. "If she knew who they were, they wouldn't last long."

Nodding, Freddy grinned. "The good news is that rumors about the Roekaar and your part in stopping them have spread. I think some of the exiles are open to at least working with the Initiative now that there's a Pathfinder."

"Something to keep in mind." Alec nodded, and then, after a moment of debate, he pulled Freddy into a careful hug. "Keep your ears open and your mouth shut. I'll keep you updated on what's happening with Nigh."

Freddy returned the hug a little awkwardly because Alec was still in his armor. "Be careful, Dad. You know we'll kill you if you die, right?"

"That's--" Alec stopped and sighed. As ridiculous as it sounded, he kind of liked the threat, if only because of what it _meant_. "See you, Freddy."

Reluctantly, Freddy released Alec and stepped back. Just as reluctantly, Alec turned to head back to the Nomad. Peebee and Drack waited inside and they drove back to the hackers' hideout. As they drove, Drack asked, "What Nigh described, is it possible for SAM to take you over?"

"No, not the way I designed him," Alec replied, keeping his eyes on the road. Even with his modifications and tinkering, it wasn't possible for SAM to 'take him over'. Not when he was just Alec's partner and especially not split as he was between Alec and Terry. "I've only heard rumors about Project Overlord, but SAM was _never_ intended as a weapon."

After a few moments of silence, SAM added, "My design and coding does not allow me to take over the Pathfinder's free will. I can offer suggestions and recommend plans of actions, but I cannot take action against their will."

"That's... good to know." Peebee sounded relieved.

Drack grunted. After a detour to restart the vault, they reached Nigh's hideout. They didn't see any sign of Katherine, but Alain was still in the side room, syncing his implants. Approaching his chair, Alec told him, "Alain? I had my son put a little something together for you. This should fix your implants."

"Are you serious?" Alain took the device and looked it over. After a moment, he handed it back to Alec, who plugged it into Alain's implants. After a short wait, he seemed to brighten, smiling as he straightened up. "Yeah--yeah, I can feel my nerves waking up!" Holding onto Alec's arm, Alain slowly stood up. Grinning, he remarked, "When Mercury goes down, Mum'll lose her mind over this! Thank you!"

Alec couldn't help smiling back, happy not only to have helped him, but to also have a hint at what she was planning. "No problem, Alain. Be careful."

"Thank you again." Alain took Alec's hand and shook it firmly.

Nodding, he turned to head out, going upstairs to where they'd spotted Nigh's personal console earlier. "Sounds like a code name for whatever Nigh's planning."

_"This will enable me to find any relevant data quickly,"_ SAM told him privately.

Reaching Nigh's computer, Alec turned it on. "Let's see what she's up to."

_"Security protocols breached,"_ SAM reported, clearly as eager as Alec to find out her plans.

Keeping his voice quiet as Drack and Peebee kept a lookout, Alec told him, "Bring up anything tagged 'Mercury.'"

_"Files found: 'Mercury.' A strike to prevent any future AI by destroying all quantum computers on the Nexus,"_ SAM informed him after a quick search.

Alec glowered at the console. He'd kept an eye on the design of the Nexus and this could go very badly for everyone involved if they didn't act quickly. "Damn it. You _can_ use those computers to create AI, but right now, they run half the station. A lot of people could die. We need to stop Nigh. Now."

_"If I may: Terry is still on the Nexus. She can find Nigh's devices and disable them before we could even reach the Nexus,"_ SAM suggested as they calmly and quietly left the hideout and piled into the Nomad.

Relieved, Alec nodded. "Yes. Brief her on the situation, SAM, and tell Kandros, too. I still want to head to the Nexus and speak to Nigh myself."

"You just reset Kadara's vault," Peebee reminded him as the Nomad barreled towards the port. "You're just going to _leave_ it?"

Alec shook his head. "No, I have a plan for that. SAM, ask the others to meet us on the _Tempest_. I'll explain once we're all gathered."

"Yes, Pathfinder," SAM replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I hope my other reason for splitting up the Ryders is clear enough.


	7. Two Places at Once

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Alec and Terry work on the Nexus, Freddy works (and flirts) on Kadara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a little frustrating that you can't delegate in the game, but that's not nearly as interesting as doing everything yourself.
> 
> ETA: I realized I'd skipped a scene and put that in at the beginning of this chapter where it belongs. Stupid brain.

Terry had taken to spending time in the tech lab once Harry determined that she was recovered enough to wander the Nexus. As she sorted samples, she remembered how nice it'd been to work side-by-side with Suvi. Smiling as she worked, she started when SAM contacted her. _"Terry. The Pathfinder just learned of a plan to attack the Nexus."_

"What?" Terry demanded, finishing with her current sample and setting it aside. As she quickly cleaned up her workstation, he explained about Katherine Nigh and her plan to place EMP devices by the quantum computers on the Nexus. Hurrying from the lab, she muttered, "The Nexus _needs_ those right now."

Heading towards the ramp to the lower level, SAM replied, _"Precisely. I've warned Kandros and your father requests that you find and disable any devices Nigh may have planted."_

"On it." Thinking back to the schematics of the Nexus she'd studied as she prepared for the Initiative, Terry headed to the closest bank of quantum computers. She found an innocuous-looking device placed near the hydroponics garden.

Over Terry's comm, a strange woman said, "Son of a bitch. You played me."

"Nigh?" Terry asked, heading to the tram. "You got the wrong Ryder. I'm Terry."

After a moment, Nigh shot back, "How are-- that doesn't matter. I let your father near my _son_. Neither of you are stopping this!"

"Shit. She must still be on the Nexus." Terry reached the tram and sent it towards Operations.

She leaned back against the side of the tram, trying to calm her racing heart. "Your father is on his way here, Terry."

"Good to know. What about Freddy?" SAM didn't answer right away. "SAM?"

Her heart sank a little when he finally told her, "He chose to stay on Kadara. Vetra and Peebee stayed, too."

"Well, that's _something_ ," Terry muttered. She wondered why her brother had stayed, but she supposed she'd find out soon enough.

When the tram reached Operations, Terry headed straight for the computers near the security terminal. Another device waited there and she quickly deactivated it. "Ryder, please. The Nexus doesn't need those computers! But we won't be safe form another Overlord until they're gone!"

"You don't know that," Terry countered, wondering what she meant by Overlord.

SAM explained what Nigh was so afraid of as Terry headed towards the last bank of quantum computers in Colonial Affairs: _"A black-ops project that created a monster, according to Nigh. Your father knows little about it. Nigh claims you and your father could be 'consumed' like the subject in Overlord, but she misunderstands my design."_

"Yes, I do! I sacrificed everything to stop it!" Nigh shot back.

Terry didn't relax until she'd found the last device and disabled it. Kandros contacted her as she headed to the tram. "Ryder, we cornered Nigh, but she's carrying the last of those devices."

"Damn it. Of course she is," Terry muttered, rubbing her forehead.

Kandros continued his report, "I have a sniper ready, but she wants to speak to your father. We could end this peacefully."

"Dad's on his way. I'll talk to her," Terry replied, stepping onto the tram and sending it towards the docking bay.

She could almost picture him nodding. "Understood."

"SAM, how close is Dad?" Terry asked, a little plaintively.

His reply wasn't reassuring. "We are close, but not yet in the system."

"Damn." Scrubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms, Terry straightened up as the tram slowed to a stop.

Stepping off the tram, she noticed that the usual crowd of civilians was missing. Climbing the ramp up to the walkway outside the tech lab, she found a woman a decade or so younger than her father with dark brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail standing there with a familiar device sitting at her feet. As Terry approached, SAM told her, "Kandros reports the sniper is ready."

"Understood, SAM," Terry replied, watching Katherine Nigh warily.

Nigh turned towards her, sneering, "'Sam.' Such a human name. No one _ever_ listens. Your father built his human-AI implant. Overlord-- Where is your father?"

"He's coming," Terry told her, keeping her hands at her sides. She didn't want to give Nigh any reason to attack her.

Sighing, Nigh folded her arms across her chest. "Perhaps _you_ can convince him to stop this human-AI nightmare!"

"SAM saved my life," Terry told her grimly, spotting the _Tempest_ flying towards its usual landing pad. "If you'd had your way, I would be _dead_."

Nigh flinched back as if Terry had struck her. "I--"

"Dad's on his way," she interrupted before Nigh could say anything else.

They watched Alec hurry out of the _Tempest_ and powerwalk from the docks up to where they waited. Much to her surprise, Alec pulled Terry into a brief hug, whispering as he did, "Good job, Terry."

"Thanks, Dad." Terry hugged him back, blinking back startled tears at his praise.

Releasing her, Alec turned to address Nigh, who had a look of longing on her face. "Nigh. You were trying to bury something and that's what this is _really_ about."

"I thought Overlord would _help_ my son," she admitted, her shoulders slumping. "They made him a candidate for their _butchery_. So I sabotaged it. I faked rogue code and ripped him out." Her voice shook, but she pressed on, as if she _needed_ to say this. "Alain was... hurt terribly, but he was alive and himself, not a..." Shaking her head as if she couldn't even _say_ what he might have been. "First Overlord, then SAM. Horrors forced on _children_!" Nigh glared at Alec. "It _has_ to end, even if I must do the unforgiveable."

After a short pause, Alec told her, "Every Pathfinder candidate agreed to receive a SAM implant. No one was _forced_ accept the implant. I built SAM to save my wife. He didn't succeed at that, but he did save my daughter's life and he's helped your son. His purpose is to help people."

"Even the best of intentions can have terrible results," she retorted.

Alec nodded, accepting that. "True. However, SAM, Freddy, and I helped Alain together." Nigh frowned for a moment, glanced at Terry, and then looked back at Alec as he continued. "He's going to be all right."

"No. Th--the code I made... no one could fix--" She shook her head as if she couldn't believe that anyone could fix the damage she'd done.

Alec took a step towards her, but she didn't stop shaking her head. "SAM did. Stand down and you can ask Alain yourself."

"Here, the last device." Nigh picked it up and handed it to Alec, who passed it back to Terry. She quickly deactivated it while Nigh sighed. "No matter what sentence they give me, I hope Alain will forgive me some day. If SAM really is what you say, perhaps it can forgive me, too."

Terry winced. She hated being called 'it' and she wondered if that bothered SAM, too. Nigh went along peacefully when Kandros and a few members of the militia arrived to take her into custody. One of them took the deactivated device from Terry. Turning to Alec, Terry hugged him tight. After a moment of surprise, he hugged her back. She pressed her face into his neck, feeling hot tears building at the backs of her eyes. Alec just held her, rubbing her back soothingly like he did when she was little. "It's all right, Terry."

"I miss--" she gulped and bit back the rest of the statement.

He must have understood anyway and just said, "I know. I miss Ellen, too."

Terry cried harder, hardly aware that Alec was moving them towards the tech lab and out of view of most everyone else. Eventually, he sat them down and her tears finally slowed and stopped. Wiping at her face, she muttered, "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," he told her gruffly, offering her a tissue. "Aside from this, how are you doing, health wise?"

"I have a checkup with Uncle Harry, actually," Terry told him after a glance at her omni-tool. "What with the attack on the Nexus, I completely forgot about it."

Harry contacted her, "Terry, I heard about the thing with Nigh. Just come by as soon as you can. If your father is there, see if you can drag him along. He could use a checkup, too."

"Lexi's taking good care of me," Alec retorted, looking nettled.

Terry stifled a giggle at Harry's reply, "I'm sure she is, but I'd like to check you for my _own_ peace of mind."

"Fussy doctors," Alec muttered.

This time, Terry _did_ laugh when Harry responded, "I heard that."

"Come on, let's go see Harry before he sends an APEX squad after us." Alec stood up and helped Terry to her feet.

Still holding his hand, she told him, "Thanks, Dad."

"Always, Terry."

*

Reyes watched the _Tempest_ take off with some disappointment. The Pathfinder had somehow made Kadara livable and he'd planned to ask for a favor in the morning. _I guess it'll have to wait. Or remain a mystery._ He turned to leave and stopped in his tracks. Freddy stood nearby, a duffle bag slung over one shoulder and a case in his left hand. "Ryder. This is a surprise."

"Dad had an emergency pop up, but he didn't want to just _abandon_ Kadara," Freddy explained with a sheepish smile. "So here I am."

Reyes moved closer, offering a fond smile of his own. "Here you are. What are your plans?"

"First, I need a place to sleep," Freddy replied, letting Reyes take the duffle bag. "Any suggestions?"

Taking Freddy's now-free hand in his, Reyes winked. "I _might_ know a guy."

"Oh? A good guy? Won't cheat me out of my credits?" Freddy followed Reyes to the lift that led to both the slums and the docks.

Still holding Freddy's hand, Reyes just winked at him again. When the lift stopped, Reyes started to walk towards his shuttle, but stopped when Freddy didn't move. Frowning, he turned back to see that the other man had managed to go pale under his dark skin, violet eyes wide with fear. Reyes moved close, releasing Freddy's hand to cup his cheek. Keeping his voice gentle and quiet, he asked, "Ryder? Freddy?"

Blinking, Freddy focused on Reyes, dragging in a shuddering breath. "Shit, I'm sorry, Reyes."

"What are you sorry about?" he wondered, still cupping Freddy's cheek.

Closing his eyes, Freddy leaned his cheek into Reyes' touch. "I froze. I saw how high we are and I couldn't move."

"Shit." Reyes moved even closer, setting down Freddy's duffle bag so he could cup his other cheek. "I had no idea. _I'm_ sorry."

Freddy opened his eyes, staring at Reyes. "Why are _you_ apologizing when you had no idea?"

"I don't know." The words came out as a laugh. "I just felt like I should apologize."

After staring at Reyes for a moment, Freddy laughed, too. "Let's just go with the fact that we're _both_ sorry, okay?"

"Okay." Reyes resisted the urge to kiss him with some difficulty. Something about the way he lit up when he laughed drew him in. Clearing his throat, he bent to pick up the duffle bag. "I have an idea to help you, but I'd like to know what makes you freeze up. Is it _seeing_ how high up you are or _knowing_?"

After a moment, Freddy told him, "Seeing, definitely. Knowing doesn't bother me, so long as I can push that knowledge aside. Seeing how far I can fall stops me cold."

"Good to know." Reyes took his hand once more. "Will you allow me to lead you somewhere safe while your eyes are closed?"

Violet eyes stared at Reyes for several moments before Freddy nodded. "Yes, I trust you, Reyes."

"That's a strong word," he replied, touched all the same. Though he felt a little guilty for keeping secrets from both Freddy and his father. _It's for a good cause._

Smiling, Freddy gave Reyes' hand a squeeze and closed his eyes. "I'm ready, Reyes."

"It's not far," he assured Freddy, starting towards his shuttle once more.

This time, Freddy followed Reyes, holding firmly to his hand. "Most people have teased me when they find this out about me."

"Those people are idiots," Reyes replied, scowling at the thought of _anyone_ being teased for a fear like this.

A soft huff of laughter answered his statement. "That's what Terry said when I told her."

"She's right." Reyes glanced back at Freddy with a smile. He still had his eyes closed. "Is she a friend of yours?"

Another laugh. "My twin sister and best friend."

"Did she come to Andromeda, too?" Reyes asked, finally reaching his shuttle.

As he extended his omni-tool towards the shuttle to unlock it, Freddy told him, "Of course. She's on the Nexus right now."

"I hope to meet her one day." Reyes squeezed Freddy's hand. "Be sure to pick your feet up, we're about to enter my shuttle."

Freddy carefully walked forward into the shuttle. "I think you and Terry will get along quite well."

"I hope so." Reyes closed the shuttle door. "There, you can open your eyes now."

Smiling, Freddy opened his eyes and looked around, taking in the rather cramped quarters. "Thank you, Reyes."

"Of course." Squeezing Freddy's hand, Reyes reluctantly let it go. "How did you manage when the _Tempest_ landed?"

Following Reyes to the small bunkroom, Freddy explained, "We landed close enough to the entrance that I just kept my eyes on the door to the lift until we were through."

"Good idea." Reyes put the duffle bag on the extra bunk and perched on the edge of his bunk.

Freddy put his case next to the duffle bag and sat down beside Reyes, close enough for their knees to brush. "Something my parents suggested years ago." He turned slightly to face Reyes. "That was part of my problem earlier: there wasn't anything for me to focus on except for how high up we were."

"I'll keep that in mind," Reyes assured him, hesitantly covering Freddy's hand with his.

Much to his relief and pleasure, Freddy turned his hand over to clasp Reyes'. "I'd say thank you, but I don't like to repeat myself."

"Perhaps you can say it without words?" Reyes suggested, shifting to face Freddy.

His smile soft and tender, Freddy leaned forward and kissed Reyes' cheek. "You're a good man, Reyes Vidal."

*

Nozomi could see the curiosity written on Alec and Terry's faces as they entered the Pathfinder quarters on the _Hyperion_. She didn't blame them. It was highly unusual for Harry to insist that they come here for their checkups instead of meeting them in the cryo bay. Alec raised his eyebrows when he saw her, "Captain Dunn. What's going on?"

"We have a situation," she explained as Harry scanned each of the Ryders in turn.

Terry folded her arms across her chest. "What sort of situation?"

"One of my medtechs snuck his aunt onto the _Hyperion_ and woke her up early," Harry explained with a sigh, scrubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms.

Alec narrowed his eyes at his long-time friend. "Why is this a problem?"

"Because Ruth Bekkar has TH-314," Nozomi answered bluntly. "It _was_ dormant, but something about waking up from stasis changed that.

Terry glanced at each of them in turn, looking confused. If Nozomi remembered correctly, the elder Ryder twin had specialized as an anthropologist back in the Milky Way with an interest in Prothean artifacts and had little training in the biological sciences. "What's wrong with this disease, exactly?"

"It has three stages," Harry told her patiently. "Once she reaches the third stage, she'll be highly contagious to everyone she meets and we have no cure for it."

Terry stared at them for a moment and then shook her head slowly. " _Fuck_. What was he _thinking_? Bringing her here and waking her up when she was carrying something like that."

"She was family," Alec reminded her with a shrug of his shoulders. Terry stared at him for a moment, and then looked down at the deck. Alec looked at Nozomi. "I'm assuming you're telling us for a reason?"

She nodded in reply. "We don't want to cause a station-wide panic. Harry and I hoped you could search the station for her, discreetly, so she can go back into stasis."

"Where's her nephew?" Terry asked, looking up.

Harry grimaced. "He was assigned to an APEX team and he's away on a mission right now. I'd like to find Ruth before he comes back."

"We'll take care of it," Alec assured them. "Do you know where we can start looking?"

Nozomi breathed a sigh of relief as Harry told them to start with immigration. Much as she wanted to read Charlie Bekker the riot act for sneaking his aunt onto the _Hyperion_ , she couldn't blame him. She was his only family, even back in the Milky Way. "I leave this in your capable hands, Ryders."

With that, she left the Pathfinder quarters. She trusted them to keep her updated on the situation as it developed.

*

On the tram to the docking bay, Alec told Terry, "You're in charge of tracking down Ruth Bekker, Terry."

"You're not going to do it yourself?" she asked, staring at him in surprise.

Alec shook his head. "No, Drack brought something else to my attention that I want to look into while I'm here on the Nexus."

"Are you sure?" Terry asked, looking very young for a moment.

He drew her into a quick hug, kissing her forehead. "You handled the Nigh situation perfectly. You can handle this, too."

"Okay. I won't let you down," she promised, looking determined.

Alec kissed her forehead again. "You can do this."

"Right." Terry straightened her shoulders as the tram slowed to a stop. Once the doors opened, she headed straight for the immigration desk.

Pausing just outside the tram doors, Alec asked quietly. "SAM, where is Spender right now?"

 _"Talking to a worker near the docks,"_ SAM answered via their private channel.

Alec headed that direction, stopping close enough to hear Spender talk to a salarian worker without drawing attention to himself. Though 'berate' might have been a better term. Once he left, Alec approached the worker. She was hostile to him, but quickly calmed down once he indicated that he was on her side. After a very informative talk, he headed up to Operations to talk to Kesh. Her opinion of the man matched Drack's, not that it surprised Alec at all. A check of security footage suggested that Spender was still in contact with the exiles. "SAM, as soon as you can figure out _where_ this is on Kadara, let me know."

"Yes, Pathfinder," SAM responded promptly.

When Alec approached Spender, the other man stood up straighter, letting his arm drop to his side. "Pathfinder Ryder, right? William Spender. Apologies if we've met before. I meet a lot of people running Colonial Affairs."

"'Running' Colonial Affairs?" Alec asked with raised eyebrows, surprised by his audacity. "I thought you were the assistant director."

Spender gave him a sly look. "That's right. Assistant to Addison, so we know who does all the real work."

"From what I've heard, your hands are pretty dirty," Alec countered, folding his arms across his chest. Even if he'd met the man earlier, he wouldn't have liked him. "I saw the footage. You were handing something off."

Alec almost wanted to roll his eyes at Spender's reply, "What footage? From Govorkam? Routine business meeting." He knew what sort of 'business' meeting that had been. "Whoever you're talking to clearly has an axe to grind. You don't get to where people like us are without making an enemy or two along the way."

"Us?" Alec repeated, startled by the hint that they were anything alike.

Spender nodded, moving closer. "Look, whoever sent you on this wild goose chase, _they're_ the one you should be investigating, not me. Just a waste of time and resources better spent establishing outposts."

"Perhaps I will." Alec spotted Terry over Spender's shoulder, talking a turian woman. "Excuse me, it seems something more important has come up after all."

With that, he walked over to Terry. She looked up with a strained smile at his approach. "Hi, Dad. Headed back to the _Tempest_?"

"Yes. Has Harry cleared you for duty?" Alec asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they headed towards the tram.

Terry nodded, slipping her arm around his waist. "Yeah. He already sent my things to the _Tempest_." They stepped onto the tram. "Dad, it's like I'm one step behind her."

"What's her last known location?" he asked gently, kissing her temple.

Sighing, she leaned into him. "Teron thought she was headed to the docks."

"Let's see if Teron's guess was right, then."

*

"Good morning, ladies." Freddy's greeting preceded his appearance at the table where Vetra and Peebee were eating. "What's for breakfast?"

Vetra gave him a sardonic look. "Shouldn't you know by now not to ask that question?"

"He's Freddy, Vetra," Peebee reminded her. "He _has_ to know."

Freddy sat down and accepted the plate of mystery food pushed towards him. "Any new rumors in Kadara today?"

"Now people are wondering how the water isn't toxic anymore," Vetra replied, picking at the last of her food. "They haven't connected it to your dad, though."

Peebee grinned slyly at Freddy. "Maybe you should've asked Reyes to spread the word about that, too."

His mouth full, Freddy signed at her, "Fuck off."

"Nope!" She remained unrepentant. Figuring there wasn't any point to tiptoeing around the subject, she asked, "Did you bunk with him last night?"

"Sure didn't bunk with _us_ ," Vetra interjected, reminding Peebee of the very fact that she'd been doing her best to ignore.

Trying to think about something besides the fact that Freddy had found other accommodations last night, Peebee glanced around the bar while he focused on eating instead of responding. Grinning once more, she nudged Freddy's foot with hers. "Reyes just came in."

"You're incorrigible." Freddy shoved one last bite in his mouth and washed it down with a sip of what passed for coffee on Kadara." Excuse me."

They watched him walk over to join Reyes at the bar. The smuggler turned to him with an amused smile. After a short exchange, Umi interrupted them and they turned to talk with her, their shoulders brushing. Across from Peebee, Vetra commented, "Looks like you've lost your chance with Freddy."

"I'm not looking for more than a fuck buddy," Peebee replied, admiring the view afforded by the two men leaning on the bar side by side. It distracted her from the subtle, insistent pull she felt towards one of them. "If he finds Reyes more to his liking, that's _his_ choice. He knows where he stands with me."

Vetra nodded, making a noncommittal sound in reply. Reyes and Freddy walked over the next moment, the latter asking, "Is this job about getting your cargo back or one-upping an ex?"

"Why, Freddy, are you jealous?" Reyes asked, looking sly.

Freddy gave him a distinctly unimpressed look. "Just answer the question."

"It's about the cargo," Reyes told him with a laugh.

Looking unconvinced, Freddy turned to Vetra and Peebee. "You already know Peebee." She waved at Reyes and winked. "The other badass lady here is Vetra."

"Nice to meet you." Reyes gave a little wave and even returned Peebee's wink. "I'll work my contacts. You give me a call when you get to the meeting spot."

Freddy nodded, watching Reyes until he disappeared around the corner. Turning back to them, he asked, "Ready to get going?"

"What's the plan for today, bossman?" Peebee asked, popping to her feet, eager to focus on something besides her relationship with Freddy.

He consulted his omni-tool. "There's a medical formula I agreed to retrieve, tracking down Reyes' ex, investigating a cave system for a surveyor who was looking for baryte samples, and checking for any signs of the kett."

"You sure we'll get all that done?" Vetra asked, standing up and pushing her chair in.

Freddy shrugged as he led the way from Kralla's Song. "We can certainly try."

*

Vetra had volunteered to stay on Kadara with Freddy because she'd figured she would only be in the way on the Nexus. After they retrieved the medical formula, Vetra asked, "Are you _sure_ she was lying?"

"Yep," Freddy answered blithely. "I looked up everyone who was exiled and she's _not_ a doctor."

Peebee laughed. "I get it! Calling her 'doctor' was a test!"

"Yep." Freddy looked satisfied. "Let's go check out Spirit's Ledge."

Not surprisingly, no one was there. They _did_ find a dead drop with a navpoint. Reyes met them at the navpoint, frowning as he turned in place. "It's... empty."

"I guess Zia's buyer already came and went," Freddy told him apologetically.

Reyes' frown didn't fade, looking skeptical. "Or there was _never_ any cargo to begin with."

"Bravo. I knew you'd figure it out eventually." A strange human woman entered as she spoke, dark red hair cut in a bob, with cruel brown eyes, and a sardonic smirk curling her lips.

Reyes recognized her, exclaiming, "Zia!"

"You could _never_ resist a big payout," she told him, sounding scornful now. Vetra slowly moved away from the others, readying her gun.

Reyes smirked right back at Zia. "What can I say? I'm a greedy man."

"That's why you don't have any friends," she shot back, anger flashing in her eyes for a moment. "You're selfish."

Freddy moved to stand beside Reyes, glaring at Zia. "Reyes is a better man than you think."

"Oh, honey." She laughed off his assertion. Vetra could see Peebee moving away from the others, too, reaching for her pistol. "You've no idea how wrong you are. But you will."

Reyes glared at her, his voice low and dangerous. "Leave him _out_ of this."

"You must _really_ like this one, Reyes." She wasn't fazed by their combined anger, even chuckling at it!

Vetra cautiously glanced around, gripping her rifle tighter. They weren't alone. Across the way, Peebee was holding her pistol in both hands, also looking around. Reyes demanded, "Cut the shit! What's this all about?"

"You've been taking _all_ the good jobs in Kadara," Zia replied, turning serious. "It's gotten _more_ than my attention."

Freddy shifted to stand back-to-back with Reyes, holding his rifle at the ready, while Reyes demanded, "So what? The local smuggling union got together and decided to take me down?"

"Something like that." She drew her pistol and pointed it at Reyes, prompting both Vetra and Peebee to raise their weapons and point them at Zia.

Reyes only squeezed the bridge of his nose and muttered," _Shit_."

"Move in!" All hell broke loose then: other smugglers emerged from hiding and began shooting. Vetra dove for cover. When she peered over the edge for a target, she spotted a smuggler floating helplessly in midair and fired at him.

She heard Peebee shout as he fell to the floor: "Yes!"

"Vetra, Peebee, find cover," Freddy told them through their comms. In the middle of the room, a biotic shield rippled around Freddy and Reyes, a frown of concentration on the former's face. 

Realizing what he was planning, Vetra ducked down. "Ready."

"Ready, Freddy." Peebee reported right after her.

The next moment, he must have pushed the shield outward, slamming into anyone without cover. Silence descended and Vetra cautiously poked her head up. The only people she could see still standing were Reyes, Freddy, and Peebee. As he caught his breath, Freddy asked, "Who's not dead? Sound off."

"You been watching old movies with Liam again?" Vetra asked, standing up straight and beginning to check the bodies of the smugglers.

Peebee laughed as she did the same. "Old _human_ movies?"

Freddy shrugged and winced, his hand going to his side where Vetra knew he'd been stabbed. "Dammit."

"Freddy..." Reyes guided him to sit on a nearby crate.

The youngest Ryder offered them a weak smile. "I just tweaked my injury from yesterday a little _too_ much."

"I hope it's not more than medi-gel can handle," Peebee offered, looking worried.

Reyes lightly brushed his fingers across Freddy's armor. "I knew I wasn't popular, but I _never_ thought the other smugglers would team up against me."

"They might try again," Freddy pointed out, taking Reyes' offered hand.

As he pulled Freddy to his feet, Reyes chuckled," You worried about me?"

"Reyes." Freddy gave him a steely look that reminded Vetra of Alec Ryder.

Smiling reassuringly, Reyes told him, " _Relax_. I know they're coming now. They won't get the jump on me again." As they started for the door, he gave a dissatisfied sigh. "All that effort and no credits to show for it."

"Not everything _has_ to be about credits," Freddy told him, leaning on Reyes for support as they walked.

Vetra could _hear_ the smile in Reyes' voice as he replied, "That's true." After a brief pause, he continued, "What you said back there... about me being a better man? Thank you."

"You're welcome." Freddy laughed softly. "It's true, you know."

Reyes laughed, too. Once they reached the door, he encouraged them to head back to Kadara Port while he took care of the mess they'd made.

*

While Alec rested (at Lexi's insistence), Terry worked with Suvi and Kallo to follow Ruth Bekker's trail. The longest jump was from the Nexus to a system not far from Habitat 7. Then she jumped to a neighboring system. As they searched for signs of Ruth's shuttle, Suvi told Terry, "This is where the krogan settled after leaving the Nexus: Elaaden."

"Sounds charming," Terry remarked dryly, bringing up the data on her omni-tool. "All the sand and sun makes for a lovely beach trip."

SAM's response brought a smile to Terry's face. "There aren't any beaches on Elaaden, Terry."

"I know, SAM. I was being sarcastic." She shared a grin with Suvi.

After a brief moment, he replied, "Noted."

"I have a new heading," Suvi told Terry the next moment.

They set off for the new location and finally ended up orbiting Kadara. Freddy contacted them, " _Tempest_! How did things go on the Nexus?"

"Everything's fine there now, Freddy," Terry replied, smiling at the sound of her brother's voice. "Have you been having fun without me?"

She could see his grin in her mind's eye when he replied, "Of course! Will you be joining us?"

"Sadly, no." She shook her head, comparing the navpoint of Ruth's crashed shuttle to where SAM had detected Freddy's implant. "There's something we need to take care of ASAP at a different navpoint."

His tone was entirely put upon and entirely fake. "I _suppose_ I can just wait until later to see you again, sis."

"Don't strain yourself or anything, _little_ brother," Terry retorted, smiling.

This time, Freddy's reply made her laugh. "Don't worry, I won't."

"Sounds like Freddy's in rare form," Alec commented from the entrance to the bridge.

Terry glanced at her father with a sheepish smile. "Yeah. He won't be able to help us track down Ruth Bekker, or that other navpoint."

"We can meet up with him afterwards." Alec joined her at the console. "Ready to see Kadara up close and personal?"

Chuckling, Terry nodded, and Kallo took them down into the atmosphere. She drank in the mountainous landscape below them. "Well, I know where to go if I want to take up mountain climbing again."

"That was my first thought, too," Alec agreed with a chuckle of his own.

Terry smiled, content to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her father as the _Tempest_ settled onto a landing pad. Despite the challenges Andromeda had thrown at them, it was still turning into the fresh start she'd hoped for when she signed up.

*

"'Take the night off. Come out for a drink.'" Freddy shook his head in fond exasperation. "I should've known you were up to something."

Reyes stood up as Freddy joined him, looking like a little boy who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Freddy. It's not what it looks like."

"So you're not using me as a distraction to go through Sloane's stuff?" Freddy demanded testily. He didn't like being used.

After a moment of hesitation, Reyes sighed. "Okay, yes. But it's for both our benefit! I promise!"

"You've been making a lot of promises--" Freddy stopped short when Reyes peered around him towards the open door.

He turned back to Freddy with worry in his hazel eyes. "Shit! Someone's coming. We need a distraction."

Before he could think better of it, Freddy kissed Reyes, cupping his cheek with one hand. After a brief moment of surprise, Reyes responded eagerly, burying his fingers in Freddy's hair. Distantly, he heard someone come in. "Oh!" Ignoring their cleared throat, Freddy kept kissing Reyes, his heart pounding in his chest. "Sorry."

As the sound of footsteps faded, Reyes reluctantly pulled away to watch. He looked back at Freddy. "I think we're in the clear."

"Maybe another kiss?" Freddy suggested with a grin. "Just to be sure?"

"Now you're just teasing me," Reyes replied with a laugh.

Freddy laughed, too, watching Reyes climb up to peer into another crate. "Perhaps."

"Finally!" After a moment of searching, during which Freddy _quite_ enjoyed his view of Reyes' gorgeous ass, Reyes grabbed a bottle and waved it through the air triumphantly. "Here it is."

As he jumped down, Freddy asked, " _That's_ what this was all about? Whiskey?"

"This is the only bottle of Mount Milgrom in Andromeda," Reyes explained, looking scandalized that Freddy didn't understand. "Triple-distilled and 645 years old." He cradled it close. "This isn't whiskey--it's treasure."

Amused, Freddy stepped close, covering Reyes' hand on the bottle with his. "I hope you're planning on sharing."

"We'll see..." Reyes grinned and winked, clasping Freddy's hand. "Let's get out of here."

Still holding hands, they hurried from the Outcast headquarters. As Reyes led Freddy through the port, he tangled their fingers together. Reyes glanced back at him for a moment with a warm smile. He stopped by a ladder and turned to Freddy. He eyed it with some worry. "Reyes?"

"You can see almost all of the port from up there," Reyes explained, squeezing Freddy's hand gently. "Or watch the sun set."

Smiling, he kissed Reyes' cheek before climbing up. Finding a perch that let him look out over the port as promised, he sat down and kept his eyes on the play of lights and shadows over the port down below. He felt Reyes sit down nearby and murmured softly, "This is amazing."

"I sometimes forget how gorgeous the view is," Reyes admitted and offered the whiskey to Freddy as he asked, "Is Andromeda everything you hoped it would be?"

Accepting the whiskey, he took a healthy swig before replying, "Every day's an adventure." He glanced at Reyes with a sly smile. "Even my nights off are interesting." Offering the bottle, he asked, "What about you? Why did you come here, Reyes?"

He didn't answer immediately, taking the whiskey back and drinking down a healthy swallow. After a moment, he admitted quietly: "To be someone."

"You're someone to me," Freddy told him just as quietly, shifting closer to Reyes on their perch.

He eyed Freddy with a growing smile, cupping his cheek. "I'm starting to think that kiss was more than just a distraction."

"Maybe it was," he whispered, just before Reyes kissed him.

He kissed him back eagerly, his heartbeat racing and pounding in his chest. He thought Peebee would be his match, but it seemed Reyes was instead. _Or maybe both.  
_


	8. On the Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pathfinder finishes on Kadara and sets out to track down the Archon's ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first scene is probably familiar to people who've read my other Andromeda fics.

Suvi looked up from her datapad when someone entered the galley, feeling her heart skip a beat when she saw that it was Terry. Smiling shyly, she said, "Hi, Terry."

"Hi, Suvi." Smiling back, Terry pulled a jug out of the fridge and sniffed it suspiciously. "Any idea what this is?"

She shook her head. "No idea. Your father brought it aboard."

"Okay." Terry put it back in the fridge and sat down opposite Suvi. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

Saving her spot on the report she'd been reading, Suvi set the datapad down. "Not at all. What's on your mind, Terry?"

"You said you've studied microbiology, right?" Terry asked, looking nervous for some reason.

Suvi nodded, clasping her hands on the table. "Yes. I love seeing the building blocks of--"

"Sorry to interrupt, but did your studies cover gender?" Terry's words came quickly, as if she was rushing to get them out for some reason.

Wondering where Terry was going with these questions, Suvi considered the question carefully. "Of course we discussed biological gender and how it manifests in the different alien races." Terry nodded, pressing her lips together. "But that's separate from gender identity." Suvi traced a pattern on her datapad. "My teacher made it very clear that the two are separate and sometimes a person's gender identity doesn't match their biological gender."

"My teacher said much the same thing," Terry admitted quietly. She looked up towards the ceiling. "SAM, can you ensure we have privacy?"

SAM answered in his usual bland tone. "Of course, Terry. Do you wish me to go, too?"

"No, you can stay. I just don't want anyone walking in on us," Terry replied, looking amused.

Suvi wondered what Terry could have to say that she didn't want just anyone to hear. "What's going on, Terry?"

"I-- There's something-- Freddy and I--" Terry stopped short and gave an exasperated sigh. "Dammit, why is this so hard?"

Smiling fondly, Suvi got up and moved around the table to sit in the chair next to Terry's. "Just say it, Terry."

"I'm trans, Suvi," Terry blurted, and then glanced away. "Freddy and I were born identical, both of us assigned male at birth."

Suvi stared at Terry, surprised by the revelation. She hadn't thought that there was more of a reason behind the strong resemblance between the twins beyond the fact that they were siblings. Noticing that Terry had wrapped her arms around her waist, Suvi reached out and gently grasped one of Terry's hands. "You're still Terry, our friend and colleague." Waiting for the violet eyes to meet hers, she added, "I still like you."

"You have _no_ idea how many people ran when I told them about it." Terry's shoulders slumped and she turned her hand so she could clasp Suvi's.

Shaking her head at the thought that people would let something like a person's gender stop them from spending time with someone, Suvi squeezed Terry's hand. "They're idiots, then. I guess you told your family?"

"Yeah." Terry's voice turned hoarse and she swiped at her eyes. "I told Mom first. I wasn't sure at the time if I was trans or enby. Mom suggested taking hormones to prevent puberty until I was sure. When I told Freddy, he was hurt more by the fact that I'd kept a secret from him." She smiled fondly. "After that, we promised not to keep secrets from each other."

Suvi nodded, edging her chair closer and taking Terry's other hand. "And your dad?"

"He-- not well," Terry admitted, closing her eyes for a long moment, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I told him I was his daughter and he said no, I'm his son."

Her heart went out to the younger Terry and Suvi leaned forward to hug her tight. "I'm so sorry, Terry. That must have hurt."

"It did." Terry hugged Suvi back. "We didn't see each other for ten years and it might have been even longer if Mom hadn't gotten sick." She sat back, wiping at her cheeks. "And Dad never apologized. Just acted as if things were fine between us. I went along with it for Mom's sake, but he still hasn't said it."

Suvi reached up to gently wipe away a tear that Terry had missed, understanding now why she'd been so upset by his apology to Dr. Aridana. "From what I've seen of him, he doesn't deal well with feelings."

"No, he doesn't." Terry laughed, catching Suvi's hand with hers and holding it again. "Thanks for listening, Suvi."

She squeezed Terry's hands gently. "Always, Terry."

*

"Freddy!" Reyes smiled at the way Freddy lit up at the sound of his name.

Wiping his mouth, Freddy stood up and turned. "Terry!"

"I've missed you, little brother," the strange woman replied, hugging Freddy tightly.

He hugged her back, tight enough to lift her off her feet. Then he promptly set her down so he could press a hand to his side. "Ow, shit."

"Are you all right?" she asked, looking concerned.

Freddy nodded, smiling weakly at her. "Yeah, just need to be careful. You're not exactly _light_ , you know."

"Now, Freddy, you know it's rude to comment on a woman's weight." Reyes couldn't resist interjecting with his most charming smile as he finally stood up to join them.

The woman in question waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, pfft, I don't _care_ how much I weigh. It's all relative, anyway."

"She makes a good point." Freddy grinned. "Reyes, in case you hadn't figured it out, this is my twin sister, Terry Ryder. Terry, this is Reyes Vidal. He's been helping us here on Kadara."

He offered his hand. Freddy was correct in thinking that Reyes had figured out that the strange woman was his twin sister. With her black hair, violet eyes, and dark skin, she was obviously related to her father and brother. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ryder."

"Terry, please," she requested, shaking his hand with a firm grip and a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you, too, Mr. Vidal."

He grinned at her. "If I'm to call you Terry, then you must call me Reyes."

"Deal." Terry grinned back at him, her resemblance to her brother even more obvious.

Freddy broke in before Reyes could think of something to say. "Where's Dad?"

"Sending a package to someone on the Nexus," Terry answered with a grin.

Alec answered from the door. "It was beer for Kesh."

"Hi, Dad." Freddy smiled when he saw his father.

Terry moved aside and Alec stepped forward to pull his son into a hug. "Hi, Freddy."

"Did you two have fun last night?" Terry asked with a sly smile as Freddy hugged his father, pressing his face into Alec's neck.

He nodded, wondering how much they knew, thanks to SAM. "Yes, we did. Sloane Kelly throws half-decent parties."

"I heard that you--" a chime from Reyes' omni-tool cut off whatever rumor Terry had been about to share.

He checked his omni-tool and nodded when he saw the message that the Charlatan's package had been delivered. "Excuse me. I have some business that can't wait."

"It was nice meeting you," Terry told him, offering her hand with a smile.

He shook her hand. "I look forward to getting to know you."

"Take care, Reyes," Alec told him, shaking Reyes' hand firmly.

He turned to Freddy, not sure how much he wanted his father and sister to know about their relationship. Smiling, Freddy hugged him tight. "See you later, Reyes."

"See you, Freddy." He took a chance and kissed his cheek.

Freddy kissed his cheek in return and reluctantly stepped back. Nodding to the Ryders, Reyes forced himself to leave Kralla's Song. The question of who ran Kadara Port would soon be settled once and for all.

*

Not long after Reyes left, Alec received a call from Sloane Kelly, asking to speak with him in private. Freddy showed Terry around Kadara Port. They ended at the very highest point. Terry stared out at the mountainous landscape spread out below her eagerly. She looked forward to climbing some of the taller mountains. Freddy sat with his back pressed against hers, watching for anyone approaching them from the port itself. After several minutes of comfortable silence, he sighed. "SAM, can you give Terry and I some privacy? My authorization if you need it."

"Yes, Freddy," SAM answered promptly.

Terry peered over her shoulder at her brother, wondering what he wanted to discuss that he didn't want SAM to log it. "Freddy?"

"You like Suvi, don't you?" he asked, tilting his head back so it nudged against hers.

Feeling her cheeks grow warm as she thought about their science officer, she nodded. "Yeah, but you already figured that out."

"Are you seeing colors now?" Freddy asked, his head still tilted back against hers.

"I-- yeah." Terry decided there wasn't any point to denying it. "I started seeing blues first, and then more as I spent time with Suvi and got to know her better." She shook herself and nudged him with her elbow. "Where are you going with these questions, Freddy?"

After a long silence, he admitted quietly, "I like Reyes. A lot."

"What about Peebee?" She'd been pleased to see their growing closeness since Eos, and surprised by the way Reyes and Freddy said their farewells earlier.

Freddy gave rueful laugh. "She doesn't want strings and it wasn't enough for me. When I flirted with Reyes in front of her, it didn't bother her and he-- I don't know, he just-- we just--"

"Click," she finished for him quietly, thinking of her and Suvi.

She felt him nod, letting out a deep breath. "Yeah."

"I'm happy for you, little bro." Terry turned from her view of the planet to hug Freddy tight.

He turned so he could hug her back. "Thanks, big sis." Freddy eased back to look at her with raised eyebrows. "Have you said anything to Suvi?"

"I told her I like her and she said she likes me back," she admitted with a shy smile. "We're still sort of dancing around it right now."

He bumped her shoulder reassuringly when she shifted so they sat side-by-side. "It'll be fine. She likes you, too."

"What about you and Reyes?" Terry countered, peering at her twin curiously. "Have _you_ said anything?"

Grinning, Freddy informed her, "We've kissed. It was _very_ nice."

"It was also a distraction," SAM interrupted, startling both of them. "My apologies, but Alec is looking for you two."

Reluctantly, they stood up and moved to the ladder to climb down. "What did SAM mean, that it was a distraction?"

"The first one was a distraction, yes," he told her, letting her climb down the ladder first. "The rest were most definitely _not_ distractions."

Standing at the bottom of the ladder, Terry waited and watched while Freddy climbed down. "Should I prepare my shovel talk?"

"Only if you want me to prepare one for Suvi," Freddy retorted, keeping his eyes on Terry as he carefully climbed down.

She shook her head quickly. "No, don't!" She paused and scowled. "Fine, but he _better_ treat you right."

"You'll be the first to know otherwise," he promised her, hugging Terry this time.

She returned the hug and they set off to meet their father.

*

As they slowly made their way through the cave network the Charlatan had chosen, Freddy kept his rifle up and out, ready for anything. Well, almost anything. He wasn't prepared for Reyes to step out of the shadows onto a rock ledge above them. "You look like you're waiting for someone."

"I'm here for the Charlatan," Sloane snapped at Reyes, scowling up at him. "Not some third-rate smuggler."

Freddy pushed down the sting of hurt and betrayal, all the clues and hints falling into place. "They're one and the same."

"Surprise." The smile on Reyes' face didn't waver, but Freddy could see a hint of apology in his hazel eyes, despite the distance between them.

He glanced at his father and sister. Alec gestured for Freddy to speak and Terry signed, 'your show'. Looking back up at Reyes, he continued, "The angaran spy, your interest in the Roekaar murders. Everything you've done has been to undermine Sloane's power."

"Death by a thousand cuts," Reyes confirmed with a nod, looking pleased, though Freddy wasn't sure why.

Sloane glared up at Reyes with a sneer. "You said you wanted to 'settle things.' How?"

"A duel," Reyes told her, jumping down from the ledge. "You and me. Right now. Winner takes Kadara Port."

Terry stepped forward, frowning with puzzlement as she looked between Sloane and Reyes. "You want to avoid war by shooting each other?"

"Two people shooting each other is better than a _lot_ of people shooting each other," Reyes replied, glancing at her with a half-smile.

A tense silence followed before Sloane declared, "I'll take those terms."

The tension grew as Sloane and Reyes began to circle each other, both with one hand poised near their pistols. The three Ryders and Jaal moved back against the cave walls to give them room. As Reyes circled to stand below the ledge where he'd appeared, Freddy caught a glint of light off... something. He saw Terry's head jerk and Alec signed 'sniper SK'. He signed 'no' and none of them moved to push Sloane out of the of the way when the shot rang out, hitting her in the chest. As she slowly fell to her knees, Reyes circled in front of her, two fingers pointed at her. "Bang." With that, Sloane collapsed to the ground, dead. "Get her out of here." The sniper jumped down from his perch to gather up Sloane's body. "Prepare the crew. Kadara Port is ours tonight."

"Guess you got everything you wanted," Freddy remarked, falling into step with Reyes as he walked towards the tunnel opposite the one they'd used.

"What I want is peace," Reyes told him, utterly serious. "Sloane would've brought war to Heleus. We don't have the population to survive that."

Freddy caught Reyes' arm, gently pulling him to a stop. "Why didn't you trust me?"

"I... liked the way you looked at me," Reyes confided, turning to face Freddy, hazel eyes meeting violet. "I was afraid that would change."

Freddy held his gaze for a moment, and then glanced back the way they'd come. He knew Alec, Terry, and Jaal were waiting for him back there. Looking back at Reyes, he stepped close and cupped his cheek. "Nothing's changed."

"You have bad taste in men," Reyes answered, cupping Freddy's cheek to pull him into a hungry kiss, hot and desperate.

Kissing him back just as hungrily, Freddy murmured against his lips, "The _worst_."

"For the record," Reyes gasped between kisses, "I _do_ trust you."

Freddy groaned, pressing his forehead against Reyes'. "Fuck."

"Is that a request?" Reyes asked with a smirk.

Punching his shoulder playfully, Freddy reluctantly pushed Reyes away. "You have business to attend to."

"Unfortunately, yes." Reyes pulled him back in for a kiss. "Meet me at Tartarus once things settle down at the Port." One last kiss. "Mi amor."

Before Freddy could react or say anything, Reyes ran and jumped aboard a transport with some familiar faces aboard. Waving good-bye, Freddy rejoined the others. As they made their way out of the cave system, Jaal commented, "I'm not sure I understand what just happened."

"No doubt, you've heard about the Collective," Alec began while Freddy was still formulating his thoughts.

Sounding exasperated, Jaal said, "Yes, I know about them and I believe that Freddy was telling the truth when he said Reyes was the Charlatan. What I _don't_ understand is why Reyes suggested a duel, even though he planned to have his sniper kill Sloane."

Freddy sighed and scrubbed at his eyes, bumping into a wall in the process. Terry caught his arm and steadied him. Giving her a grateful smile, he told Jaal, "It was a way to get her into position for his sniper to have a good shot at her."

"I doubt he expected her to bring _us_ along, though," Alec remarked as they emerged into the open. While Jaal and Terry started towards the Nomad, Alec gently stopped Freddy and asked him in a quiet voice, "You trust him?"

Freddy nodded, holding his father's gaze. "I do." Taking a deep breath, he added, "We're a match, Dad."

"Heart _and_ head," Alec murmured thoughtfully. Then he nodded and pulled Freddy into a hug. "I'm happy for you, son."

Freddy hugged him back, pressing his face into Alec's neck like he used to do when he was little. His voice was choked but heartfelt, "Thanks, Dad."

"Always, Freddy."

*

They found Reyes in his private room at Tartarus. "Thought you'd be in the throne room. Tartarus is a little shabby for Kadara's new leader, don't you think?"

"Come on, Freddy," Reyes replied, glancing briefly at Alec, Terry, and Jaal. "You know I prefer to rule from the shadows."

Freddy grinned, his eyes dancing with amusement in the way that always reminded Alec of Ellen. "You _are_ a shady bastard."

"But a handsome one, right?" Reyes asked with a smirk and a wink. He sobered, continuing in a more serious tone. "The angara you met at Sloane's party--Keema Dohgrun. She's agreed to be my front."

Jaal piped up then, looking satisfied. "I've met her. She was Sloane's angaran representative."

"What, exactly, did she do?" Alec asked, curious about her.

Freddy gave a derisive snort. "She provided Sloane with an angaran perspective, but Sloane didn't listen to her very often."

"Kadara belongs to _everyone_ now: angara, exiles, _and_ Initiative," Reyes added, looking at each of them in turn.

Terry spoke up this time, eyebrows arched curiously. "You'll let us build an outpost on Kadara?"

"Yes, I will," Reyes confirmed with a nod.

Alec nodded back, pleased. He had a feeling Sloane would have permitted an outpost, too, but he had to admit that he liked Reyes better, 'shady bastard' tendencies aside. Clearing his throat, he told Reyes, "We'll start rounding up volunteers for an outpost. Might take a while--you exiles have a reputation."

"Not all of us are thieves and murderers," Reyes smirked. "I am, but some of the others are perfectly nice."

Terry rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her mouth, and muttered, "Perfectly."

"Hush," Alec murmured, nudging her foot with his.

Reyes looked at them with a wry smile. "All jokes aside, I want this outpost just as much as all of you do." He met each of their gazes in turn again, ending with Freddy. "It will have my _full_ protection. That's a promise."

"We allied with the right man," Freddy remarked, smiling warmly at Reyes, who smiled back.

Clearing his throat again, Alec told them, "I'll go set that in motion, then. Reyes, it's been a pleasure doing business with you. Freddy, we'll see you later."

The door had hardly closed behind them before it opened again. "Dad?" He turned to his son curiously. "About those volunteers--put my name at the top of the list."

"Already there," Alec told him, clapping his shoulder with a smile. "There'll always be a place for you on the _Tempest_ if you need it."

"Thanks, Dad." Freddy hugged him, and then Terry. She whispered something to him that Alec couldn't hear and Freddy whispered something back.

Nudging his forehead against Terry's, Freddy returned to Reyes' room and the rest of them headed back to the _Tempest_.

*

Reyes looked up with a smirk when Freddy returned. "Everything sorted?"

"Yep." Freddy, instead of sitting down, stood in front of Reyes and held out his hand.

He frowned up at Freddy. "What's this?"

"Now that we're done with all the boring business talk, you owe me a dance," Freddy informed him with a hopeful smile.

Reyes grinned and took Freddy's hand, letting him pull him to his feet. "You're right. I neglected you on our first date."

"Abandoned is the word I'd use," Freddy retorted while Reyes used his omni-tool to start soft, romantic music playing.

Still grinning, Reyes took Freddy's hand once again. "Regardless, we can fix that here and now."

"Yes, we can." They wound their arms around each other and began to move to the music.

The room was too small for them to really _do_ anything except turn in circles, but Reyes didn't mind. His secrets were no longer secrets and he could just _enjoy_ being with Freddy. "Since leaving the Nexus, my survival has depended on secrets. I don't want any more of those between us, Freddy."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Reyes," Freddy told him gently, his smile tender. "You _will_ have secrets--that's who you are. Just don't lie to me about the big stuff."

Reyes smiled, blinking back tears. "Thank you."

"For what?" Freddy looked confused.

He kissed Freddy softly. "For accepting me." As the music faded, he lowered his voice to a quiet whisper and asked, "Why didn't you save Sloane when you had the chance?"

"Because we're a match," Freddy whispered back, his hands suddenly tense where they rested on Reyes' hips.

He met those lovely violet eyes, so much more intense now than when they'd first met, and smiled warmly. "Yes, we are."

"Oh, good." Looking relieved, Freddy pulled him into another kiss, sweet and tender this time instead of frantic and hungry like in the cave.

Reyes nipped teasingly at Freddy's lower lip. " _Very_ good."

*

Suvi hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but she'd been on her way back to the _Tempest_ after a brief leave when she heard Freddy's voice: "You're sure you're fine with this?"

"There isn't much for you to do here until the outpost is further along." She didn't recognize the other voice, but there was a Spanish lilt to the words. "Go with your family."

Freddy gave a long sigh. "Okay, but don't forget: _you're_ my family, too, now."

"And you're mine." Suvi's heart ached at the tenderness in the stranger's voice. "For now, your father and sister need you more."

She blushed when she realized Freddy and the stranger were kissing and quickly found a different way back to the _Tempest_. She stopped at the crew quarters to drop off the few items she'd found. Finished, she turned and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh, Freddy! When did you come in?"

"Just a few seconds ago." Freddy replied, setting his duffle bag and case on the bunk he'd claimed as his. "How are you?"

She fidgeted with her gloves, adjusting the way they fit. "I'm fine. What about you?"

"I'm fine, too." Freddy turned to her with raised eyebrows. "You're nervous about something."

Suvi shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek. "No-- I-- well, I overheard you and... I don't know his name. You were saying good-bye."

"Oh." Freddy looked startled for a moment, and then laughed softly. "That was Reyes. I don't mind that you overheard us."

She smiled shyly. "It was a private moment. I shouldn't have intruded."

"You're very sweet, Suvi." He kissed her cheek.

Blushing, she excused herself and headed up to the bridge. Both Terry and Alec stood at the Pathfinder controls, talking quietly. Suvi sat down at her station and brought up the information SAM had retrieved from the kett transponder with Gil's help. Clearing his throat, Alec said, "SAM, is everyone aboard now?"

"Yes, Pathfinder," SAM answered promptly.

Nodding, Alec said, "Kallo, Suvi, take us up. We have a map to find."

*

Peebee found Freddy seated in the vidconference area, watching space slide by as they sped towards the Archon's ship. She sat down beside him on the faux-wood floor, their shoulders barely brushing against each other, "So, you and Reyes, huh?"

"Yep, me and Reyes," he answered the question in a flat, emotionless voice. Drawing his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, he continued, "Don't tell me you're jealous now. You're the one who didn't want strings."

She shook her head. "I'm not. I'm happy for you and Reyes. Really."

"Thanks, Peebee." Freddy gave a deep sigh. "I-- We--"

Peebee bumped her shoulder against his. "Just spit it out, Freddy."

"Since I'm with Reyes now, sex is off the table for the two of us," he told her quietly. "I know it's not a big deal to you, but it is to me. It hurt when my ex slept with someone else behind my back. I won't do that to someone else."

She nodded this time, a little disappointed, but she'd expected as much. "No harm, no foul." Part of her was tempted to ask if he'd sleep with her if Reyes gave his blessing, but she kept her mouth shut. Their relationship was very new. "Thanks for being upfront with me about it, Freddy. I'd still like to be friends."

"I'd like that, too." He shifted so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders.

After a tense moment, Peebee slowly relaxed and leaned into Freddy, watching space slide past. Just this once, she'd give in to the pull she felt towards him. "Thanks, Freddy."

"Always, Peebee."

*

"There's an Initiative vessel tethered to the Archon's ship," Kallo informed them as they approached the navpoint SAM had gotten from the kett transponder. "It's Ark Paarchero!"

Standing on the bridge, Alec scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "Well, shit. No plan survives contact with the enemy, but this--"

"We've got this," Freddy told him with more confidence than Terry felt.

Glancing at her twin, who gave her a reassuring look, she moved to stand beside their father. "SAM, tactical." She studied the image SAM provided them for several moments. "Looks like the tether is an umbilical between the two ships. We can land on the ark, assess the situation, sneak onto the Archon's ship through the tether, and go from there."

"Good plan, Terry," Alec agreed with a nod, giving her an approving look. She couldn't help standing a little straighter at that. She'd been trying hard to be a good second-in-command and it was reassuring to hear that her efforts were bearing fruit. "SAM, bring up a copy of the image for Meridian so we know what we're looking for."

It replaced the tactical display. "This is the image from the vault on Aya. Moshae Sfeja said it was on a relic that the Archon showed her."

"So it'd probably be in the most protected part of the ship," Terry mused aloud, tapping her chin with one finger.

Freddy moved to stand on Alec's other side. "Yeah, just like the shields on the arks are strongest around the stasis pods."

"I have found such an area deep inside the Archon's ship," SAM informed them.

Alec nodded. "That's where we'll head once we finish on Paarchero." He glanced back at where the others waited. "Kallo, can you find a working docking bay on the ark?"

"Yes, Pathfinder." Kallo didn't look up from his console as he guided the _Tempest_ towards the ark. "If there's anything else I can do, sir, just ask."

Another nod. "I understand." He turned back to the others once again. "Terry, Drack, Jaal, you're with me. Freddy, Cora, I want you two on standby."

"Watch your back out there as well as Dad's," Freddy told her as he hugged her tight.

She hugged him back, nudging their foreheads together. "Always."

"We'll be fine," Alec told them, his voice gruff, as he clapped Freddy's shoulder.

Once they'd landed, Terry, Drack, and Jaal followed Alec down the ramp and into the docking bay, weapons at the ready. It was eerily silent with no sign that anyone was awake or even alive. "I have a bad feeling about this, Pathfinder."

"Me, too." Alec sounded just as uneasy as Terry felt. "SAM?"

As they slowly proceeded through the ship, he told them, "Though the stasis pods aboard the ark do contain live salarians, some of them are missing."

"The kett are exalting them?" Jaal asked, sounding horrified.

SAM's reply wasn't reassuring, "Unknown."

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Alec told them, his voice steady. "We need more information first. How close are we to the cryo bay?"

"Just down the corridor," SAM told him. "If you access a terminal, I can assess the situation."

Alec nodded, leading them through the correct door. He headed straight for the information display and turned it on. After picking a menu option, the usual programming was interrupted: "This is Captain Hayjer of Ark Paarchero. If you are receiving this message, hostile aliens have captured our ship. Please look for our Pathfinder, Zevin Raeka. Situation urgent."

"Pretty much what we thought," Terry mused, turning to take in their surroundings. "SAM, how does the ship look?"

Alec glanced at her curiously while SAM informed them, "Some kett infrastructure has been added, but the ark's systems are operational."

"So it's flight-ready?" Alec asked, clearly catching on to Terry's train of thought.

She grinned when SAM said, "Yes."

"Are you thinking of--" Jaal began as they slowly proceeded to the area where the doctors would check the sleepers they'd just woken.

Terry nodded, still grinning. "Easiest way to save everyone--"

"--is to take the whole ark with us," Alec finished, clapping her shoulder with a small smile.

As she stared at her father in surprise, Drack grunted. "We'll have to detach it from the Archon's ship and figure out how to pilot it."

"Just need to wake up the right salarians," Terry replied with a shrug. "Raeka for a start."

Alec pressed his lips together as he glanced around. "No sign of fighting or struggle."

"Not their way," Drack reminded him with another grunt.

Alec nodded his agreement. "They fight with their brains more than their brawn."

"Let's see if they managed to out-think the kett," Terry suggested, heading towards the beds they could now see. All of them were empty, save one. It contained a dead salarian. She looked at her father, "Do you recognize them?"

Alec shook his head this time. "Not a member of their leadership, so I don't."

"There must be a reason this body is here," Jaal pointed out.

Nodding, Alec accessed the console next to the bed and frowned. "According to this, he's Pathfinder Raeka."

"But..." Drack asked leadingly, clearly sensing that there was something Alec wasn't saying.

Alec looked up at the others. "Zevin Raeka is _female_ and I _know_ this isn't her."

"Smoke and mirrors," Drack muttered.

Terry nodded her agreement with him. "She must've switched with him to keep the Archon from finding her."

"We find out who he is, we find his stasis pod, and we find Zevin," Alec nodded back. "SAM?"

His response sounded almost prim. "Someone will need to scan the body so I can use his DNA signature to identify him."

"Oh, yeah, of course." Feeling a little sheepish, Terry scanned the body as SAM requested.

Once she'd finished, SAM told them, "He died of a brain embolism while in stasis. He never woke up."

"That explains why the kett just left him here, too," Drack remarked as Alec accessed the ark's computer system. "Can't experiment on a dead body."

SAM's voice interrupted any contemplation of the sorts of experiments the kett would do. "The DNA of the deceased salarian matches the colonist 'Jeks Arlan'."

"Twenty credits says his stasis pod contains a female salarian," Terry offered with a faint smile.

Alec gave her a droll look, his voice dry, "No bet."

"I've marked the pod row," SAM informed them while she made a face at her father.

When they entered the pod bay, Terry's heart sank. Far too many pods were missing. SAM had told them, but seeing it with her own eyes reminded her of how dire their situation was. Taking in the gaps as they moved down the row, she couldn't help wondering, "What if it'd been the _Hyperion_ the kett captured?"

"You really think your old man would've given up without a fight?" Alec asked as they took turns scanning pods. None belonged to Jeks Arlan.

Terry shook her head with a wry smile. "No, you're too stubborn for that."

"It's in the Ryder genes," he reminded her with a tight smile of his own. "Here: Jeks Arlan."

She aimed her scanner at it and grinned. _Too bad he didn't take the bet._ "Yep, female salarian."

"Let's get it down and open it up." Alec glanced around. "SAM, where are the stasis controls?"

His omni-tool lit up with an arrow pointing further down the row. "Another five meters in that direction, Pathfinder."

"Smartass AI," he muttered, following SAM's directions. They soon had the pod down and opened. Alec breathed a sigh of relief once she was out of her pod. "This is Zevin all right."

After a short wait, she opened her eyes and sat up. Looking around, recognition crossed her face when she saw who waited, "Alec Ryder. Good to see a familiar face."

"What happened, Zevin?" he asked as she stood up and carefully stretched her limbs.

She shook her head. "Stasis was a mistake. I should never have agreed to it." Walking to a terminal, she began tapping commands with typical salarian speed, too fast for Terry to follow. "A hostile species--an armada--set upon us. Our captain saw no choice but surrender. Said we'd live to fight another day. He convinced me to hide in the general population and to dismantle my SAM so we wouldn't fall into enemy hands. But we're still in their grasp, I see."

"Not for much longer," Terry told her firmly, trying to cheer her up. She couldn't imagine how Raeka was feeling. She stared at Terry for a moment, glanced at Alec, and then nodded. Something in her eyes prompted Terry to ask, "What's _really_ bothering you?"

Raeka remained silent for several moments, her hands going still, before sighing heavily. "A leader _leads_. She doesn't go to sleep and hope for rescue like a human fairy tale princess."

"Now's the time to lead," Alec told her firmly, patting her back. "We're heading into the kett vessel to gather intelligence. Wake up a flight crew and ready the ark for escape. On my signal."

She nodded, lifting her head and straightening her shoulders as she realized that they _could_ get her people out of this mess. "That'll be no trouble. And then I'll work on freeing the ark, so you can focus on your objective."

"Do what you can, but stay quiet," Alec told her, looking more like a stern soldier now that there was a mission to complete. "We don't want to alert the enemy."

Raeka took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes, yes, of course."

"I'm keying you into our comms," Alec tapped at his omni-tool. "We'll stay in touch."

SAM's voice didn't sound any different to Terry as he said, "Hello, Pathfinder Raeka."

"Ah, a SAM in my head again." She closed her eyes for a moment, looking heartened. "I'm back in the game." Opening her eyes, Raeka gave them a determined look. "We'll be ready."

After a few steps, Alec turned back to her, "If you need extra hands, my crew is on standby in the _Tempest_. It's in the nearest docking bay."

"Thank you, Alec." Raeka nodded, and then made a shooing motion. "Get going."

Smiling faintly, he turned and set off with the rest of them. As they walked, Terry murmured, "I don't think Dunn would have given up without fighting, either."

"Salarians have a shorter life span and more fragile bodies than humans," he reminded her quietly. "For them, it's usually better to bide their time."

Behind them, Jaal sounded worried, "Not when their enemy is the kett."

"They had no idea what the kett are like," Drack replied, as gentle as he could.

Terry pressed her lips together. She remembered the human remains they'd found on Eos near the last monolith. It hadn't been pretty. _I have a feeling we're not going to find live salarians on the Archon's ship._


	9. Course Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the map to Meridian in hand, so to speak, the Pathfinder changes his focus for the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relationships also develop and strengthen thanks to what happened on the Archon's ship.

Jaal had expected that they would come face-to-face with the Archon, but not like this: unable to move and completely at his mercy. He largely ignored Jaal and Drack, his focus on Alec and Terry. When he gripped Alec's throat in one hand, Terry snapped, "Hey! Pick on someone your own size!"

"There's _no one_ equal to me," the Archon replied, stabbing a needle or injector into the back of Alec's neck.

He released the human Pathfinder the next moment and Alec gasped for breath as the Archon did much the same to Terry. Coughing a little, Alec snarled, "Leave her out of this! _I'm_ the one who activated the Remnant."

"It shares your DNA," the Archon answered blandly. "You will _both_ be tested. I will learn your secret soon enough."

Before they could respond beyond a wordless snarl from Terry, he was distracted by a report, presumably via some sort of internal communications because he left soon after. Not without a warning that he wasn't done with them. As far as Jaal could tell, they were well and truly caught. Since it was just the four of them, Drack commented, "Raeka must've run into trouble."

"I think we're a _little_ worse off," Terry retorted, turning her head towards her father. "You all right, Dad?"

He gave a slight cough. "Stubborn, remember?" His tone turned businesslike as he asked, "SAM, what can you tell us?"

"I'm sensing a biological transmitter in both yours and Terry's bloodstreams," the AI answered pedantically. "Attempting to neutralize it."

Terry shook her head, sounding impatient. "Pretty sure that's secondary to getting us free of this field thing. Any ideas?"

"The containment fields only interact with living matter," SAM explained without missing a beat. Not that Jaal expected otherwise after all this time on the _Tempest_. "If a subject expires, the field around them will extinguish until manually reset."

Terry interrupted before SAM could continue, sounding equal parts horrified and upset. "You're not _seriously_ suggesting that you _kill_ Dad, are you?"

"No, not Alec," SAM replied and Jaal frowned, wondering who he meant, then. "You, Terry."

Alec shook his head, his voice unnerved. "No! Why not _me_ , SAM?"

"The partial transfer of Pathfinder protocols that allowed me to save Terry's life on Habitat 7 now means I only have the required access to _Terry's_ biological systems," SAM explained, as patient as ever.

Jaal glanced at Drack, seeing that he was just as surprised as Jaal felt. It'd been clear early on that Alec and Terry were essentially sharing the duties of Pathfinder, though he'd assumed they'd intended that from the start. Apparently not. Terry's voice sounded just a little scared. "I don't want to die. Again."

"I will, of course, attempt to resuscitate you afterwards." SAM probably meant to sound reassuring, but he didn't quite succeed. At least, not for Jaal.

Alec stared at his daughter, though Jaal couldn't see his face well enough to read his expression. "Are there _any_ other options, SAM?"

"None that I can determine." This time, SAM sounded almost apologetic.

Still staring at Terry, Alec told her, "It's your call."

"Yeah." Terry's voice was hoarse and she stared back at Alec for several moments. "All right. Let's do it."

Drack's voice was gruff but fond. "You better come back, kid."

"Good luck," Jaal added sincerely. He knew there was a chance that she wouldn't wake up again despite SAM's efforts.

Alec sounded worried even as he told Terry, "See you soon."

"Stopping your heart..." SAM announced, "now."

With that, Terry's body went limp within the field suspending it. The next moment, the field disappeared and her body crumpled to the deck like a discarded toy. Staring down at Terry's body, Alec asked in a hoarse whisper, "SAM?"

"Stimulating the cardiovascular core..." SAM reported just as Terry's body jolted. "Zero activity." A brief pause. "Stimulating the cardiovascular core..." Another jolt.

This time, Terry gasped for breath and pushed herself into a sitting position. After several ragged breaths, she grumbled, "That's twice now I've come back from the dead." Picking up her assault rifle, she dragged herself upright. "Can't say the experience is improving."

"I believe it is preferable to the alternative," SAM replied as she turned to face the rest of them.

She smirked as she studied them. "You three look comfortable."

"Down. Now." Drack growled.

The moment they were free to move, Alec approached Terry and pulled her into a tight hug. " _Watching_ you die and come back to life twice isn't a great experience, either."

"Didn't have much of a choice," she muttered, hugging him back after a brief hesitation.

Jaal stooped and picked up Alec's rifle, offering it to him once he stepped back from his daughter and cleared his throat. "Thanks, Jaal. Let's find that relic and get off this ship, huh?"

"That's why we're here, after all." Terry agreed with a nod.

As he followed them from the room, Jaal felt strangely reassured by what he'd just witnessed. While it was horrifying and worrying that SAM could stop Terry's heart, Jaal found comfort in the way Alec had hugged Terry, clearly upset by almost losing her. It was the first emotional outburst he'd seen from the human Pathfinder since meeting him. He understood better now that Alec Ryder was a man who cared deeply and strongly for his family, but had difficulty expressing it, at least in front of others. _He cares more than he lets on._

*

Once they'd set course for Kadara, Freddy caught up to Terry after she finished her shower and just pulled her into a hug that was almost too tight. She hugged him back just as tightly. "I'm still here, Freddy."

"You died," he mumbled, his voice rough with emotion. "Suvi--she said everything went gray. And then colors came back."

Terry gently pushed Freddy back so she could see his eyes. "Suvi said that?"

"Yeah." He nodded, a small smile curling the corners of his mouth. "She was pretty certain it happened because of you."

She smiled, her hopes rising at that little tidbit of information. "That-- that's good news."

"I'd say so." Freddy hugged her again. "Try not to do that again, okay? For all our sakes, not just mine or Dad's."

Terry hugged him back. "I'd rather not go through that again if I can help it."

"Terry." Lexi's gentle yet firm voice finally drew them apart. "I'd like to scan you, for my peace of mind if nothing else."

Nodding, Terry gave Freddy's hand one last squeeze before following Lexi to the medbay. "Have you seen Dad yet?"

"Not yet, but you Ryders are very bad about coming by for check ups," Lexi told her, proceeding with her usual exam.

After extracting a promise from both Terry and SAM that they'd refrain from stopping Terry's heart again, Lexi let Terry go so she could rest. This time, Suvi caught up with Terry and all but dragged her into her own quarters. "I need a break. Do you need a break? Let's go for a break!"

Laughing, Terry let the door close behind her. "Okay."

"Care for some tea, Terry?" Suvi moved over to the desk where two steaming mugs waited.

Raising her eyebrows as she moved to the couch, Terry told her, "I'd love a cup."

"This is a cultivar originating in Sumatra. My own personal stash. Once I run out... That'll be it for Earth tea." Suvi sighed, carrying the two mugs over and handing one to Terry. "I keep having these thoughts. 'I'm never going to taste this again. I'm never going to see that again.'"

Terry wrapped her arm around Suvi's shoulders when she sat down. "You're not the only one, Suvi. I have those senseless thoughts all the damn time."

"And? Do they bother you?" Suvi looked curiously at Terry, sipping her tea.

She took a moment to consider it, and then shook her head. "It's natural. You'd have to be made of stone not to miss home sometimes."

"The universe is like a giant tapestry. I love following its threads, but it distracts me from the whole picture," Suvi remarked, looking sadly at her tea. "My family was right there, but I was too occupied by the abstract to appreciate them."

Terry gently took Suvi's mug out of her hands and set it on the coffee table, along with her own. "From everything you've told me, you're here because of your family. Your love of science, doesn't that come from them? Aren't you with them every time you chase down a new discovery?"

"Terry, that's beautiful." Suvi smiled, a blush touching her cheeks when Terry took her hands.

Squeezing Suvi's hand, Terry reminded her, "I'm lucky to have my dad and brother with me. Even if I didn't, I'm sure everything I'd do here would remind me of them. And my mom." She gently cupped Suvi's cheek with one hand. "And Suvi, the threads you followed led you here to me." Terry pressed Suvi's hand to her chest, right over her quickly-beating heart. "How could that have been a mistake?"

"Of everything I've encountered in Heleus, you are by far my favorite." Suvi smiled shyly up at Terry, turning her hands to press them against Terry's chest.

Unable to resist any longer, especially after the ordeal she'd just been through, Terry leaned in to kiss Suvi, sweet and soft and tender. _I hope she doesn't slap me for this!_

"Don't do this to me, Terry, not unless you really mean it." Suvi's eyes were intent on Terry's when she pulled back.

Cupping Suvi's cheek with her other hand, Terry told her, "I know and I _am_ serious. Serious about us."

"I don't want the colors to go gray again," Suvi whispered, leaning forward to rest her forehead on Terry's shoulder. "Not for a long time, anyway."

Terry winced, sliding her arms around Suvi. "Ah, um. Freddy told me about that. I'm sorry. SAM couldn't think of any other way to free us."

"I know being a Pathfinder is dangerous, but try to be more careful about what you do to get out of situations like that." Suvi straightened up and Terry was surprised to see tears shining in her eyes, ready to spill over.

Nodding, she leaned forward to kiss Suvi's cheek. "I'll do my best, Suvi."

"Thank you." With that, Suvi leaned forward to kiss Terry.

*

"Drack?" he turned when Freddy called his name. The youngest Ryder somehow looked even younger. "Can I ask you some questions?"

Nodding, he gestured to the galley, which remained empty besides them. "Sure, kid. What's on your mind?"

"What happened on the Archon's ship?" Freddy asked after using his omni-tool to lock the door. "Terry died, but neither she nor Dad will tell me how that happened."

Drack considered the question for a moment. This was the first time since he'd met the Ryders that he'd seen Freddy without any hint of a smile or amusement. He only looked worried and upset. With a start, it occurred to Drack that Freddy's affability was as much a mask as Alec's stoicism and Terry's reserve. Keeping that realization to himself, Drack only said, "The Archon had us trapped. We couldn't move. The only way SAM could get us out of the trap was to stop Terry's heart."

" _Terry's_ heart?" Freddy asked, gripping the back of a chair tightly. "It _had_ to be hers?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It freed her because she wasn't living anymore. Then SAM restarted her heart and she was able to deactivate the fields around the rest of us."

"Shit. Fuck." Freddy pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes. "That's the second time she's died and come back."

Gruffly, Drack told him, "So she implied. And Alec had to watch both times."

"And I wasn't there either time myself," Freddy added, dropping his hands and looking at Drack helplessly. "I only found out afterwards."

A little creakily, Drack walked over and grasped Freddy's shoulder firmly. "She came back, kid. Keep that in mind."

"She's my best friend, Drack," Freddy admitted quietly. "I don't want to lose her."

His instinct was to headbutt Freddy like he would a young krogan, but he was human, so he contented himself with squeezing Freddy's shoulder. "You haven't lost her, Freddy. Hold onto that thought."

"Thanks, Drack." Freddy offered a wan smile and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, his usual small smile reappeared and he left the galley. Drack began to put together a meal. After what they'd just been through, they needed food.

*

Reyes smiled when the door to his room at Tartarus opened to admit Freddy, only to fade when he got a good look at his lover's face. It was drawn and tired, no trace of a smile or amusement to be seen. "What happened? Is everyone all right?"

"Everyone's fine," Freddy assured him. Despite his words, when Reyes stood up and gathered him close, his lover clung to him.

Holding Freddy close, Reyes asked, "If that's the case, then why are you upset?"

"I'll tell you later. Just hold me right now." Freddy managed to cling to Reyes even tighter.

Nodding, he guided Freddy over to the couch so they could sit down together. Well, Reyes sat and Freddy laid down with his head in Reyes' lap. Stroking his lover's hair, Reyes turned on some quiet, soothing music. Once Freddy was asleep, he sent a message to Peebee: _F is upset. What the **hell** happened out there?_

Her reply came only minutes later: _On my way._

"Well, that explains nothing." He made himself comfortable, still stroking Freddy's hair.

He hadn't waited for long when Peebee arrived. She picked up a footstool with her biotics and set it down so she could reach out and hold Freddy's hand. "How much has Freddy told you about what his dad's doing?"

"He said that there's a network of vaults all through the cluster and the Pathfinder is trying to find the control center," Reyes replied, keeping his voice quiet.

"Yeah, basically." Peebee nodded. "Well, the Archon has a map to this control center and we went to steal it from him. Or make a copy."

Reyes raised his eyebrows, impressed by the fact that Alec had dared to brave the Archon's lair. "I take it something happened in the process of stealing it?"

"Yep." She gently squeezed Freddy's hand when he stirred. "I wasn't there myself, but Terry died somehow and SAM brought her back to life. I guess almost losing her again upset him more than he let on to everyone else."

He tightened his arms around Freddy. "Shit. No wonder he was upset."

"Apparently, it happened before when the _Hyperion_ first arrived in Andromeda," Peebee added quietly, gently stroking Freddy's hand.

Reyes smiled wryly. "Perhaps it's a good thing I wasn't assigned to the _Hyperion_ after all."

"Perhaps." She shrugged. "He'll probably explain better when he wakes up, but he's been restless the entire trip here."

He nodded, bending to kiss Freddy's cheek. "Thank you for telling me, Peebee."

"Take care of him, okay?" Peebee squeezed Freddy's hand one last time and left. He wondered if he imagined a slight hitch to her gait just before the door closed behind her.

Sighing deeply, Reyes made himself comfortable and drifted off to sleep.

*

Vetra looked up from her work when the door to the armory opened. Alec Ryder stood there and held up two bags. "I have the popcorn--and whatever graxen is."

"Thank you, Alec." Vetra accepted the bags and checked them both. They were still sealed, so she tucked them amongst the other snack foods she kept in the armory. "I owe Cora for letting me use her clearance." That done, she leaned back against her desk. "This'll be fun. Like watching vids with Sid when she was little."

He nodded, leaning one shoulder against the doorjamb. "Yeah. I remember watching vids with the twins when they were kids. Freddy always insisted on helping Ellen make the popcorn. He was very picky about how much butter and salt she included."

"What about Terry?" Vetra couldn't resist asking. "What did she do?"

A shadow seemed to cross Alec's face for a moment. "She helped me set up the screen and projector so they were absolutely _perfect_."

"Sid wasn't picky about that. Just what vids we watched," Vetra admitted. At the time, they couldn't afford to be picky about food or the vid setup.

Alec nodded, his smile looking forced. "We took turns picking. Excuse me."

"See you," she called after him. It must have been painful to remember his wife. Hopefully, whenever they had their movie night, he could enjoy it.

*

"Alec," Lexi called as he passed the medbay. "I'd like to talk."

He nodded, stepping into the medbay far enough for the door to slide shut behind him. "What's on your mind, Lexi?"

"I'm concerned about SAM," she told him, knowing from past experience that the direct approach was best with him.

Alec sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Didn't you go over this with Terry already?"

"Terry didn't create SAM," she explained firmly, refusing to let him squirm out of this discussion. " _You_ did."

Dropping his hand, Alec told her, "I created SAM to bolster human performance on both the physical and mental level."

"He _stopped_ Terry's _heart_ ," she reminded him flatly, unable to forget the panic on Suvi's face when she told them about losing colors.

Alec pressed his lips together for a moment, his voice hoarse when he replied, "I know, Lexi. I was there, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Alec." She touched his arm briefly, realizing she may have crossed a line. He nodded, his jaw rippling with tension. "I reviewed all of the literature on SAM's capabilities and _nothing_ suggests that--"

He held up a hand to stop her. She fell silent, looking at him expectantly. "There were safeties in place to limit each SAM's access to the biological systems."

"Let me guess: you overrode them." Lexi sighed and shook her head.

Alec looked defensive. "If I _hadn't_ , Terry would have _died_ on Habitat 7. SAM saved her life because I overrode those safeties."

"And then he was able to kill her on the Archon's ship," Lexi reminded him.

As he opened his mouth to retort, SAM told them, "I could not have stopped Terry's heart without her permission, Dr. T'Perro. I could only suggest it as a course of action."

"Terry had to _agree_ , Lexi," Alec added, giving her a helpless look. It was the first time she'd seen him so vulnerable since they'd met.

She accepted that, relieved that the Pathfinder had to consent to such a drastic action. It left her with a question, though: "Why stop _Terry's_ heart? Why not yours?"

"My connection to Alec's biological systems is not as deep as my connection to Terry's," SAM explained calmly. "In order to save Terry on Habitat 7, I needed access to her cardiovascular, nervous, and endocrine systems."

Alec nodded when Lexi looked at him curiously. "I panicked when I transferred the protocols and SAM is connected to _all_ of Terry's biological systems. He's really only connected to my mind now and the human Pathfinder clearance is still in my name."

"I'm still not happy about this, but I understand that it was a no-win situation," Lexi told them. "Director Tann and the others will not be so understanding, though."

Alec sighed deeply. "I know. We'll handle them."

"Good luck with that."

*

As Alec and Terry approached the conference table where the Nexus leaders were already gathered, Addison cleared her throat, "Pathfinder Ryder is here."

"Ryder and Ryder," Tann greeted them courteously. "We were just discussing your encounter with the Archon."

Alec folded his arms across his chest, having heard a little of their previous discussion, and gave him a flat look. "There was no time to save both groups. I had to make a decision."

"Such is the burden of leadership," Tann replied, looking away for a moment. "Nevertheless, it's good to see Ark Paarchero reunited with the Nexus."

Kandros spoke up before anyone else could, "Yet I have to question what we've gained, provoking the Archon like this?"

"He had a map showing the location of Meridian," Terry told them when Alec glanced at her with a nod. She walked over to the console for a nearby display so SAM could upload the information they'd retrieved from the relic. "Now we have it. And a short window to get there." She turned to face them as she continued her explanation. "It's the control center for the terraforming network. If we get that working, all our problems are solved."

Alec added as they moved to study the image of Meridian that had appeared over the display. "Well, not _all_ , but it'd certainly help us."

"Based on what data?" Tann asked skeptically. "This is all alien science."

Terry glanced at Alec, who gave her an encouraging nod. "The vault on Aya suggests that Meridian is the key."

"While I appreciate what you've both done for our strike teams," Kandros interposed, looking between them, "we're not equipped for a war with the kett."

Alec gave him a hard look. "If we do nothing, I guarantee there's a fight coming. The Archon is already studying how to exalt us. It's not pretty."

"Still, it's better to focus on the outposts," Addison told them, indirectly reminding them of the Pathfinders' _intended_ purpose. "If the kett attack, at least our people won't be in one place."

Kesh spoke for the first time since their arrival. "Then there's your... unique situation." She glanced between them pointedly. "There's only supposed to be _one_ Pathfinder per ark. It seems _Hyperion_ has two."

"I transferred some of the Pathfinder protocols to Terry so SAM could save her life." Alec met each of their gazes in turn, silently asking if they would have had him let her die. "If I hadn't, she wouldn't be standing here with us."

Addison and Tann looked away after a moment. Kandros and Kesh both met his gaze without flinching. She persisted, "We took a chance letting AI get involved. Frankly, I'm uncomfortable with just _how_ involved it's become." She shook her head. "I can't support your plan, Ryder."

"Then _I_ will," Captain Hayjer volunteered from the top of the ramp that led up to the meeting area. "The Ryders deserve a chance to try."

Tann took a few paces to meet Hayjer as he approached. "I applaud the gesture. But you answer to _me_. I hope you understand."

"We hear you loud and clear," Terry replied from where she now stood at Alec's side. Her expression was studiously blank.

Tann nodded, looking satisfied. "Good. That will be all."

"Fuck," Terry muttered very quietly, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand. "We don't exactly have a Plan B."

Hayjer moved closer as the others left for their offices. Keeping his voice low, he told them, "There may be a way. Meet me in the tech lab."

"Let's all go together," Alec suggested, gesturing to the ramp. "Unless you had something else you needed to do, Terry?"

She shook her head. "No, this is all I had planned for now."

"Very well." Hayjer nodded and they walked together to the tram. Once he sent it towards the docking bay, he commented, "I didn't know SAM could affect our biology--"

Alec held up a hand to cut him off. "Only _our_ SAM has that capability and only with permission from the Pathfinder."

"I see." Hayjer looked at Terry with some surprise.

She gazed back at him resolutely. "It was the only way to escape the Archon's trap."

"Understood." Hayjer nodded as the tram stopped and the doors opened.

They walked up to the lab together. Suvi sat at the workstation to the right of the door. She looked up with a smile when they entered. "Terry, Pathfinder, how did it go?"

"Not as well as we'd hoped," Terry replied, walking over to hug Suvi and kiss the top of her head. Suvi hugged Terry back and nudged her to the chair beside hers.

Clearing his throat, Hayjer said, "I've been working with Dr. Aridana and her team on the problem of getting to Meridian."

"We think we have the answer," Aridana added, looking up from her computer terminal.

Alec folded his arms on the counter near her and leaned forward. "I'm listening."

"It's plans for a new technology we've designated Ghost Storm," she explained.

Hayjer picked up the explanation. "As you approach Meridian, my ship can broadcast fake returns for the _Tempest_."

"The kett won't know which one is genuine," Professor Herik added from his place near Aridana, datapad in hand. "It will confuse their sensors and draw their ships off."

Looking up from her computer again, Aridana told him, "It could buy you some time."

"We can work with that," Alec mused, glancing back at Terry. She was slouched in her chair, her expression attentive. Suvi had turned back to her work, but Alec noticed that she kept her shoulder pressed against Terry's. _Hmm, interesting._ Turning back to the others, he added. "We need just enough to give us an advantage."

Hayjer, his arms crossed behind his back, told him, "The rest will be on you both."

"We can handle it," Alec assured him. "Though it means going against the Initiative. We'll be alone here." He glanced over at Aridana and Herik. "You didn't hear that."

She gave him a carefully innocent look, her tone bland. "Hear what? We've been collating gamma charts all day."

"I'm learning that Pathfinders are often alone," Hayjer remarked as they walked over to join Terry, who straightened up without dislodging Suvi. "Part of the job."

Terry gave a huff of laughter. "Sure, if they'd _pay_ us once in a while."

"Not after this," Hayjer told them seriously. "You'll need to research the Ghost Storm technology first. Then I'll meet you at Meridian."

Alec held up a hand to stop Hayjer from leaving just yet. "This will work better with more people. There's still two Pathfinders unaccounted for out there. Let's find them, and _then_ we'll go after Meridian."

"A sound plan." Hayjer nodded. "I'll be in touch, Pathfinders."

Once he'd left, Terry looked up at Alec. "Dad?"

"There's no need to end everyone's leave just yet, Terry." He hugged her briefly. "Enjoy yours."

She returned the hug with a smile. "And you enjoy yours, Dad."

"Thanks, Terry." He paused at the door and glanced back. Terry had turned her chair to face Suvi's workstation and the two women sat with their heads bent together over Suvi's work. He smiled and left the lab, continuing along the upper level towards the private quarters. _Time to find out what Spender's hiding. **Then** I can spend some time with Harry._

*

The door to the Pathfinder quarters on the _Hyperion_ opened at Harry's approach. When he slipped inside, he found Alec sitting on the bed, watching something on his omni-tool. He didn't look up when Harry sat down beside him, though he _did_ move his arm so they could both see his omni-tool. "Home videos?"

"Yes." Alec rested his head on Harry's shoulder once the video finished playing. "Twice, Harry. She's died and come back _twice_ since we woke up."

Shifting position so he could hug Alec, Harry kissed his cheek. "She came _back_ , Alec. Don't lose sight of that."

"I'm trying not to, but I keep seeing her crumple to the deck. Like a broken doll." Alec wrapped his arms around Harry, gripping handfuls of his tunic.

Harry nodded, holding Alec just as tightly. "Keep watching those home videos."

"I will." Sighing, Alec tucked his face into the space between Harry's neck and shoulder.

He kissed Alec's cheek again. "Lexi sent me a message about you overriding the safety protocols on SAM?"

"What happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?" Alec wondered, sounding more amused than annoyed by the fact that Lexi had shared the information.

Harry slid a hand down to poke Alec's side. "We're _both_ your physicians right now, Alec. We need to _know_ this kind of shit."

Squirming and batting Harry's hand away, Alec told him, "Fine, fine. I should've said something before. SAM has a deeper connection to Terry's biological systems than he does to mine. At least, _now_ he does."

"What about before?" Harry couldn't help wondering. "Did he have a similar connection to _you_?"

Alec gave a deep sigh. "Yes, he did. If it'd been _my_ helmet that shattered..."

"Don't think like that." Harry tightened his arms around Alec. While it'd be a close call for both father and daughter, it'd been closer for Terry than Alec. "You _both_ survived and that's what matters here."

Nodding, Alec sat up enough to press their foreheads together. Harry's heart skipped a beat at the move, like it always did. "You're right. Dwelling on Might-Have-Beens is useless."

"Exactly," he whispered, cupping Alec's cheek with one hand. It'd been too long since they last held each other like this.

He gasped, surprised, when Alec closed the remaining distance to kiss him. Not a light, swift kiss. This one was deep and hungry. He gladly melted into it, giving up on speaking for the moment. Who knew when they'd next have a chance to indulge like this?

*

Jaal was happy to show the rest of the Pathfinder team his world. Terry's violet eyes shone with delight and wonder as she took in the environment around them. Voice hushed, she said, "It's so _green_ and beautiful."

"The Initiative designated this world Habitat 3," Alec remarked as they followed Jaal to Pelaav Research Station. "A golden world."

Vetra's mandibles flared for a moment. "I can see why. It looks more hospitable than Eos or Voeld at least."

"Don't your people have a saying?" Jaal asked, pausing to look at them. "Looks can be deceiving. Havarl is dying."

The others glanced at each other, and then followed Jaal into the research station to speak with Kiiran Dals. She was skeptical that anyone could interact with the Remnant, but agreed to let them try. Alec and Terry did succeed at freeing the other scientists from stasis and Kiiran apologized for her skepticism. Terry waved it off. "Hey, you've been fighting the kett for a long time. You're right to be wary of a strange new alien species."

"You're remarkably understanding," she replied, looking impressed.

Torvar suggested that they could help heal Havarl. Alec nodded thoughtfully. "Jaal said it was dying. What can we do to help?"

"I'm not sure you _can_ help," Kiiran replied apologetically.

With some prodding from Torvar, she told them about the sages of Mithrava and Alec and Terry decided to go speak with them. On the way, they found a turian encampment under attack from Roekaar. Alec seemed to recognize the leader of the turians: "Avitus Rix?"

"Alec Ryder." They shook hands like Jaal had grown used to seeing from the Milky Way species. "It's good to see a familiar face."

After introducing the rest of them, Alec asked Rix for his story. He apparently woke up on Havarl and had to break out of his own stasis pod. "Most of the turian population is missing, including Macen." He glanced at the rest of them. "Our pathfinder. SAM hasn't transferred to me, so he's alive. Just don't know where."

"He hasn't made it back to the Nexus," Alec told him with an apologetic shrug.

Rix didn't seem too upset by the thought. "Knowing Macen, he's out there looking for me." He inclined his head towards Alec. "You know Macen dedicated his life to Andromeda. He's too stubborn to die now."

"We need every pathfinder we can get," Alec replied, meeting Rix's eyes calmly. "If we can help in any way, let me know."

A dip of the spiked head. "I will. Debris and stasis pods from the _Natanus_ are scattered across the sector. Between the two of us, we should be able to find _something_."

"The settlers here need your help." Alec's gesture encompassed the turians in the encampment.

Rix shook his head briefly. "I'm a stopgap. Macen's the solution."

"I understand, Avitus, but until we find him, _you're_ in charge." Alec gave him a stern look that Jaal hadn't seen very often from the human. "I know you're used to being on your own, but Andromeda is nothing like we expected. We can't afford to stay in our comfort zones."

After a long moment, Rix nodded, a look of determination appearing on his face. "You're right, Alec. I'll take care of my people."

"Good." They shook hands again and Rix turned to address the turians with them.

Alec turned to walk in the other direction and Terry, who'd been speaking with one of the other turians, hurried to catch up to him. "There's debris from the _Natanus_ scattered all over the planet, Dad. We can't leave it here."

"We'll tag it so the team who comes to pick up Avitus and the others can retrieve it," Alec assured her with a nod. "SAM, let the Nexus know that we found a group from the _Natanus_."

Once SAM assured them it'd been done, they continued towards Mithrava.


	10. The Little Things That Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finishing on Havarl, the Pathfinder runs some errands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, errands means 'side quests', *wink*. I played the game as I wrote this and got ideas for adding to the fic, which is part of the reason it got so long.

Terry almost wished they'd come to Havarl first instead of Voeld. It had much better weather for one thing. Though she could have done without the wildlife and Roekaar trying to kill them as well as the Remnant bots. They _did_ find the ancient starship Avela had told Terry about on their first trip to Aya. "This is amazing. How old is it, SAM?"

"Several centuries, Terry," SAM replied promptly. "I apologize that I cannot be more precise." 

She waved a hand dismissively. "Eh, we'll figure it out eventually. Is there anything here we can take back to Avela? I doubt we can move the ship itself."

"Yeah, it's pretty firmly wedged into the ground." Alec kicked it with the toe of his boot.

Vetra managed to pry open a panel and peered inside. "There's something in here."

"Oh?" Scrambling up to join Vetra, Terry shone a light inside the compartment. She saw a pile of bones, scraps of fabric that would probably disintegrate, and a helmet. "Yes! That helmet is perfect." She glanced up at Vetra. "Can you reach it?"

Mandibles flaring with amusement, Vetra reached in and carefully picked up the helmet. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Vetra." Terry lightly punched Vetra's shoulder and accepted the helmet from her. "It sort of matches the angaran helmets I've seen."

Jaal joined them and carefully took the helmet from Terry. "There are other helmets like this at the Repository of History on Aya."

"Perfect, we can give this to Avela Kjar to add to the collection." Terry took it back and carefully clipped it to her belt so she wouldn't lose it, but still have her hands free.

They continued on their way, heading towards a navpoint Kallo had told Alec about. After an ambush by kett, they encountered a salarian espionage agent: Major Saelen Varn. He told them that he was investigating the possibility that the kett had been directed to the _Paarchero_. Alec agreed to help him investigate and they continued towards Mithrava again. This time, they didn't encounter anything else to stop them and found the entrance to the remnant tower. Once they emerged into the open air again, Terry looked up, taking in the height of it. "Good thing Freddy's not with us."

"Why is that?" Jaal asked curiously as they carefully swept the area for signs of a path up.

Alec answered the question with surprising sensitivity. "Freddy's not fond of heights."

"Freddy doesn't like the possibility of _falling_ from them," Terry clarified with a roll of her eyes.

Vetra frowned. "He did fine in Kadara Port."

"So long as he couldn't _see_ how high up the port was, he was fine," Alec explained, peering carefully around a corner. "Remnant ahead."

Once the bots were scrap, Vetra commented, "So, don't take Freddy mountain climbing."

"Nope, but Dad and I love it." Terry nudged Alec's side as he reloaded his assault rifle.

He nudged her back. "Yes, we do."

"I saw the way you climbed that structure on Eos," Vetra observed as they continued forward. "You barely used your jump jets."

Terry grinned, and then sobered when she remembered how she'd scared Freddy when she'd dropped down amongst them. After a short silence, Jaal remarked, "I've never been up here before. I _have_ heard of the sages of Mithrava, but never gave them much thought."

"Why not?" Terry asked, glancing at him curiously.

His voice thoughtful, he explained, "Isn't a story worthless if it isn't shared? If the accounts of our past are kept hidden, they may as well not exist at all."

"Yes!" Terry grinned, pleased. Jaal stared at her in surprise. Calming down, she continued, "Sorry, Jaal. History is one of my hobbies and the idea of keeping the truth secret or known only to a small group is a little frustrating. How can we learn from the past if we don't know what happened, what mistakes others made?"

Amused, Alec nudged Terry with his elbow. "So we just make new ones instead."

"Better new mistakes than repeating the same ones because no one knew about them." Terry countered with a smile.

Alec just nodded and they resumed climbing.

*

"Terry!" Suvi waved when she saw Terry returning to the research station with Alec, Jaal, and Vetra, the four of them looking tired and filthy. "Havarl is _amazing_."

Laughing, Terry kissed Suvi's cheek. "Yes, it is. There's so much history hidden in the ruins here. It'd be a lifetime of work to uncover everything."

"Well, I don't know about _that_ ," Suvi admitted sheepishly. "I'm not an archaeologist." She lit up, thinking of a friend she'd made. "I know someone who _is_! Sort of."

Terry laughed again as Suvi took her hand and led her over to Raashel Vier. "Suvi, you've returned. With the Pathfinder."

"Not the Pathfinder," Terry corrected with a wry twist to her mouth. "His second." She held up her arm like Jaal had taught them. "Terry Ryder."

Looking amused, Raashel returned the gesture. "Raashel Vier, archaeoastronomer."

"Nice to meet you." Terry smiled, slipping her arm around Suvi's waist. She leaned into Terry with a small, happy smile as Terry asked, "What are you studying?"

Eyeing the two of them with a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth, Raashel explained, "I've made it my life's work to study our ancient star maps in hopes of finding colonies that we lost contact with due to the Scourge."

"There may be more out there?" Terry straightened up, looking intrigued.

Raashel spread her hands helplessly. "I'd hoped to uncover that with my work, but disaster struck while I was away from home and it's been destroyed."

"Remember, you said parts of your old home are still intact," Suvi reminded her. "I bet Terry and her dad could go see if there's anything to salvage."

Terry looked at Suvi for a moment, and then sighed. "Let me guess: the local wildlife has taken it over since then?"

"Yes, my old home has become a breeding ground for insects and who knows what other creatures." Rasheel shuddered at the thought.

After a few moments, Terry nodded. "I'll talk to Dad, but we can add it to everything else."

"Thank you, Terry." Rasheel smiled gratefully. "Thank you, too, Suvi."

Once she'd walked away, Terry turned to Suvi. "You've been busy, haven't you?"

"It's beautiful and amazing here, Terry," she answered, thinking of the discussions she'd had with several of the scientists. "Even unbalanced as it is, this world has still survived all these centuries."

Terry nodded and stifled a yawn. "Oh, excuse me. We've had a long day."

"Are you going back to the _Tempest_ to sleep?" Suvi asked, torn between joining Terry and staying to continue her studies.

SAM answered the question, "A room has been set aside for you to sleep, Terry, if you wish to do so."

"I do." Terry looked at Suvi hopefully. "Will you at least sit with me until I fall asleep?"

Smiling, Suvi nodded. "Of course."

"Thanks, Suvi." Terry squeezed Suvi's hand and led her to an upstairs room.

Jaal, Vetra, and Alec were already there. Of the three, only Alec was still awake. He looked up at their entrance and raised his eyebrows. Suvi blushed, but followed Terry over to the last sleeping bag and helped her remove enough of her armor to be comfortable. Suvi sat against the wall and encouraged Terry to lay down with her head pillowed in Suvi's lap. Gently stroking Terry's hair, Suvi murmured, "Go to sleep. I have you, Terry."

"Thanks again, Suvi." Smiling, Terry slowly relaxed and fell asleep.

Still stroking Terry's hair, Suvi made herself comfortable. She'd almost fallen asleep herself when Alec remarked quietly, "Terry doesn't relax so quickly with many people, Suvi. Treasure that while you can."

"I do, sir," Suvi replied in a whisper, catching a glimpse of sadness and regret on his face.

He met her eyes with a tiny sad smile. "Good."

*

Alec wasn't surprised to find Terry and Suvi together once he'd finished talking with Kiiran, Taavos, and Esmus. They were studying the ancient pilot's helmet from the crash, talking quietly between themselves. He didn't want to disturb them, but he figured it was best to talk to Suvi as soon as he could. Terry looked up first, the lingering smile on her face fading. "Dad?"

"Oh, Pathfinder." Suvi looked up, startled.

He cleared his throat. "I just spoke with Kiiran. Thanks to us resetting the vault, she'd like some scientists from the Initiative to come help track the changes."

"That's wonderful news!" Suvi's face lit up with delight at the thought. "I'm almost jealous of the scientists who'll come."

Terry laughed, bringing Suvi's hand up to kiss the back. Clearing his throat again, Alec told her, "Kiiran said you'd be more than welcome to stay as one of the Initiative scientists, Suvi."

"I-- what?" Suvi stared at him blankly in shock.

Terry's smile faded and she looked from Alec to Suvi. After a short silence, Terry took a deep breath and said, "We'd miss you on the _Tempest_ , Suvi, but we won't stop you if you'd like to stay here on Havarl."

"Oh, Terry." Suvi turned to cup Terry's face in her hands. "I'm flattered by Kiiran's offer, but I came to Andromeda to see more of the universe and I can't do that if I stay on one planet." Terry's smile returned, bright and happy, and she looped her arms around Suvi's waist. A little shyly, Suvi added quietly, "Besides, we're a match and we belong together."

When Terry kissed Suvi, Alec quickly left them to their privacy and returned to the research station. "Ah, Pathfinder. Did you speak with Dr. Anwar?"

"I did and she's decided to stay on the _Tempest_." Alec told her, a little regretfully. "She wants to see more of the cluster."

Kiiran smiled slyly. "And stay with the one she loves?"

Alec followed her glance and stifled a laugh. He could see Suvi and Terry from the window, still holding each other close. Nodding, he told Kiiran. "Yes. It's a recent development, to my knowledge."

"Your children do not share such news with you? Or only with their mothers?" Kiiran looked curious and a little surprised by the thought.

"I... made a mistake when Terry was still fairly young and we were estranged for a long time," Alec admitted quietly, folding his arms across his chest. "We've only recently begun to repair our relationship and that takes time."

She remained quiet for several moments, studying him carefully. Finally, she said, "It is good that you're repairing your relationship. She is your legacy."

"I know, and I couldn't be prouder of her." He watched Terry for a long moment, his heart aching at the years of her life he'd missed because he hadn't stopped to think for once in his life.

Kiiran lightly touched his arm. "It would be good for _her_ to know that."

"I know."

*

"Thank you so much!" Raashel gushed when they made it back to the research station after finding the computer node. "You've not only helped me, but the entire team."

She couldn't quite interpret the smile on Terry's face, but she was clearly happy. "That's very good. I'm glad we're still able to help somewhat."

"So much history and research recovered, thanks to you," Suvi added, hugging Terry.

The other human only half-heartedly resisted. "I'm gross and sweaty, Suvi."

"I don't care." Suvi persisted and finally got her hug. "Where's the Pathfinder?"

Terry kissed Suvi's cheek. "The scientists from the Nexus have just arrived, so Dad and Jaal are showing them around before handing them over to Kiiran."

"If they're half as helpful as you and your friends have been, we'll make a great deal of progress," Raashel told them.

Suvi smiled reassuringly. "I know the scientists they're sending. They're the tops in their fields."

"That's good." Terry kissed Suvi's cheek again and whispered, "Are you sure you don't want to stay here?"

Suvi kissed her cheek in return, whispering back, "I'm sure. Stop worrying, Terry."

"I'll try." Terry pressed their foreheads together.

Raashel quietly slipped away. She'd worried that these Milky Way aliens would be as bad as the kett. As different as they were, though, it was clear they had more in common with the angara than with the kett and that was reassuring. _  
_

*

"I found this angaran helmet," Terry told Avela, offering her a helmet and an apologetic smile. "Does it mean anything to you?"

Carefully taking the helmet from the human, Avela carefully examined it. "This is a pre-dark age design. Do you see the black marks? The Scourge targeted this pilot's ship." She slowly turned it in her hands, delighted. "Stars, it's perfectly preserved. I can almost imagine the pilot. He must have been so afraid." Looking up, she told Terry, "I've never seen one of these intact. Do you know how rare it is? I can't even begin to repay you."

"Knowing that I'm helping to preserve your history is payment enough," Terry replied with a smile. Suvi joined them, looping her arm through Terry's.

After Terry smiled and kissed her cheek, Suvi looked at the helmet and asked, "Why would the Scourge target the pilot's ship?"

"It must have been a Remnant vessel," Avela explained, examining one of the dark marks. That was one thing they'd figured out. "Or maybe there's Remnant tech in the helmet itself." The helmet itself was empty now. "Can you imagine? Our ancestors using Remnant..."

Terry nodded, glancing at Suvi. "I think you're right. One of your people was able to use an old gauntlet to help Dad and I find the last monolith on Havarl and reset its vault."

"I heard that you'd helped heal it, but no details beyond that." Avela was intrigued and longed to go to Havarl to learn more.

Suvi smiled and squeezed Terry's hand with a proud smile. "Terry and her dad have reset vaults on four planets now."

"Stoppit, Suvi," Terry muttered, glancing down with a bashful smile.

Amused, Avela decided to go ahead and make her request. Holding up the helmet, she told them, "This gets me thinking. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't even know that helmet existed. What if it's not all we're missing?"

"What do you mean?" Terry looked up at her curiously.

Still turning the helmet over in her hands, Avela explained, "There could be a wealth of history just out of our reach. So, I'm requesting your help again."

"What kind of help?" Terry glanced at Suvi, and then back at Avela.

Looking between the two, she continued, "I've led digs on every angaran homeworld. But there are places I've missed. Areas only a pathfinder could go." Tapping the helmet lightly, she added thoughtfully, "There could be relics sitting untouched for centuries because no one could reach them." She met Terry's unusual violet eyes. "What I ask is this: if you ever find yourself in an area like that, you keep an eye out for artifacts."

"That's it?" Terry looked surprised.

Avela nodded. "That's it. Keep me in mind as you explore and bring me anything of interest."

"It'd help if I knew where to look," Terry told her with a laugh.

Spreading her hands a little, Avela told her, "The worlds we've inhabited are Voeld, Kadara, and Elaaden." Sighing, she added, "I've searched them all, but each had obstacles preventing me from looking everywhere."

"You're the expert," Suvi pointed out. "Couldn't you just come with us?"

Touched by the suggestion, Avela reluctantly shook her head. "I'd like to. More than anything. But I'm needed here. My predecessor trusted me to stay and carry on his work. To find answers. No matter how much I miss the adventure, I have a responsibility here."

"A few hidden relics coming up," Terry told her with a smile.

Avela smiled, relieved and pleased. "I don't know what I'd do without you. I'll be here if you find anything. Good luck."

"I'll come back with relics," Terry assured her, turning with Suvi to go.

Avela watched them leave, the door closing behind them just as the other door opened to admit Akksul, who stalked towards the Moshae's office without stopping to look at any of the displays.

*

_Freddy-_

_We finally visited Havarl and found that crash site Avela Kjar (I told you about her: the curator for the Repository of History on Aya) told me about. It was in better condition than I expected. We found a helmet inside and Avela was delighted when I gave it to her. She looked like she'd just gotten the best birthday and Christmas gift combined. She also asked that we look for angaran artifacts on other worlds. Could you ask the others at the outpost to keep an eye out for anything ancient while they work? They don't have to go out of their way to look, but if something interesting pops up, that'd be great. The angara have lost so much to the Scourge and the kett. I'd like to give them **something** back._

_Thanks so much!_  
-Terry  


*

The attempted attack on Prodromos was worrying, but Cora, Jaal, Alec, and Terry managed to stop it. After talking with Bradley, they headed to the building where Hydaria and the other refugees from the _Leusinia_ were said to be staying. "He's getting desperate."

"Who is, Dad?" Terry asked, glancing at him curiously.

Jaal answered the question, "Akksul. To attack one of your outposts so boldly is reckless."

"I can't shake the feeling that there's more going on here," Cora admitted thoughtfully.

Terry bumped Cora's shoulder with hers. "We stopped the attack and proved that we can protect our people."

"We're only one team, Terry," Alec reminded her quietly. "We can only do so much."

Cora gestured to the building ahead of them. "That's why we're looking for the _Leusinia_ and _Natanus_ , sir. To find the other Pathfinders so it's not all on you and Captain Hayjer."

"Will that be enough?" Jaal wondered.

Before any of them could reply, they'd entered the building and found the asari refugees. Hydaria couldn't tell them where the ark was, but she gave them a lead in the form of transponder codes for the _Periphona_ that had been intended to help the refugees from the ark. After promising to do everything they could to find the ark, they left the building. Terry touched her father's arm. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"Why was the Archon trying to capture the ark?" Alec asked quietly as he led them to the Nomad. "To study them like he did the salarians?"

Cora couldn't stop a shudder at the thought. She'd read the reports of what they'd found on the Archon's flagship. She couldn't imagine what it was like to actually come across them. Terry frowned. "That doesn't seem right. She called them elite forces. Why send elites to capture a ship they intend to study?"

"Asari are not like salarians," Cora reminded Terry, climbing into the back of the Nomad with her. "It sounds like they're trying _not_ to be captured."

Jaal settled into the front passenger seat while Alec climbed behind the wheel. "There's no use in speculating right now. We'll figure out where the _Periphona_ is, and then use her to help us find the _Leusinia_. Then we'll find out the truth."

With that, they set off towards the navpoint Peebee had given them for a piece of rem-tech she needed. Cora had seen the combat observer she'd designed and wondered what Peebee was working on now.

*

"Jaal! Jaal!" Peebee nearly drew her weapon, but recognized the voice and stayed back as Jaal's sister ran into his arms. "I killed Lathoul. I killed him. I'm so sorry."

Jaal held her gently as he told her, "He's not dead. You're lucky."

"I lost my mind, Jaal." She straightened up to look at him. "I want to go home."

Her other brother had followed her over and stared at her in shock. "But the cause! I joined because of you."

"I shot our brother," she reminded him, turning to scowl at him.

He looked down, clearly torn. Another voice startled them and Peebee moved closer to Jaal along with Alec and Terry as Akksul emerged from the shadows. "Let her go. I only want soldiers who are committed to our cause--" he gave them a dismissive look. "Not weaklings who stand by and watch the destruction of our people--at the hands of aliens!"

Sounds from above alerted them to the arrival of the other Roekaar, each one holding a weapon of some kind. Alec folded his arms across his chest, meeting Akksul's gaze calmly. "Blowing up your sacred birthplace seems pretty drastic."

"Your cause is falling apart," Terry added, mirroring her father. "Just like you."

"I speak for our people," Akksul retorted, clearly performing for his followers as much as for them. "And I say you're done in Heleus."

Terry drew her rifle when Akksul appeared to draw a weapon on Alec. Both he and Jaal called out, "Terry, don't!"

"Martyr me." Akksul told her with a scornful laugh, showing her his empty hand. He moved closer so her rifle was pointed point blank at his face. "Please, I dare you."

She glared at him, her expression resolute as she deliberately lowered her rifle. "I don't kill unarmed crazy people."

He frowned at her, clearly annoyed that she hadn't taken the shot. Peebee fidgeted as he addressed his next words to his followers, reminding them of why they should hate the Milky Way aliens. Jaal countered his arguments by telling them the good that Alec and Terry had done for the cluster: making planets habitable, rescuing the Moshae. "Saved her life."

"I know... stop defending them!" Akksul became more agitated the more Jaal talked.

"The Moshae trusts the Pathfinder and--" Jaal stopped short when Akksul drew a pistol and pointed it at him.

Terry, Alec, and Peebee all pointed their weapons at Akksul in reaction. "Stop! We've been fighting the wrong enemy. Maybe the enemy is this traitor!"

"Easy..." Jaal kept his eyes on Akksul, clearly trying to keep everyone calm.

Alec edged forward. "Jaal..."

"Don't!" Despite Jaal's order, none of them lowered their weapons. He focused on Akksul once more. "The Moshae trusts Ryder. You've become a danger to your own people. Walk away."

Akksul's hand shook, but he didn't lower the pistol. "Or... I kill you and reveal the Resistance for the traitors they are."

"Don't shoot." Alec murmured into the comm attached to his armor.

Peebee reluctantly kept her finger off the trigger of her pistol and the only weapon that fired was Akksul's pistol. They watched as the bullet streaked through the air at Jaal's face. It skimmed across his cheek and hit the rock behind him. Deafening silence fell as the other angara stared first at Akksul, and then each other. Peebee was pleased to see that they looked uncertain now. For his part, Akksul looked just as uncertain as he watched them slowly and silently walk away. Jaal, looking strong despite the fresh wound, told Akksul, "The alien is not the monster here."

"I love my people," Akksul replied, looking very small now that all of his righteous anger and determination had disappeared.

As he looked down, Jaal addressed his brother and sister, "Come on, let's get you home."

"You okay?" Alec asked quietly as they walked alongside Jaal.

Jaal nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

The last to turn the corner, Peebee looked back to see that Akksul hadn't moved, staring down at the pistol in his hand. _Jaal's such a badass. I hope Alec remembers that rem-tech I need!_

*

"I'm so sorry, Lathoul," Teviint told her brother. "I never--"

He interrupted her with a gentle joke. "Couldn't even kill me at short range."

"They're here," Jaal interjected quietly as several angaran women finished climbing the stairs to the landing pad.

Alec led Terry over to the edge of the landing pad while Jaal and his siblings greeted their mothers. "Let's give them some privacy."

"That was... intense," Terry murmured, propping her arms on the railing that kept them from falling off.

He nodded, glancing back to see the mothers holding their children close. "Martyrdom would have only given strength to Akksul's cause."

"He shot Jaal." Terry glanced back as well and Alec saw a hint of wistfulness in her eyes.

Reminded of the deal he'd made with Teviint, Alec cleared his throat and turned to face Terry. "There's-- I need to tell you--"

"Don't forget about the rem-tech piece I need!" Peebee bounced over from where she'd been waiting not-so-patiently.

Jaal followed her over. "You have done my people--and me--a great service. Thank you, Alec, Terry, Peebee." He held up his arm and Alec stepped forward to hold up his alongside Jaal's. He chuckled. "You've been practicing!"

"A little." Alec confirmed with a small smile. He glanced over Jaal's shoulder to see his family watching them. Teviint in particular was watching them intently. "Would you like to spend some time with your family? There's something we need to retrieve for Peebee, but the three of us should be able to handle it."

Looking surprised, Jaal glanced back, too, and then turned back to Alec. "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure." Alec nodded firmly. "We keep you away from them enough as it is. Might as well take this chance to spend time with them."

Jaal nodded back. "Thank you, Alec."

"Of course." Jaal turned and walked over to his family, who quickly gathered him into a group hug. As they disappeared down the stairs, Alec turned to Peebee. Reluctantly, he told her, "All right. Let's go find that rem-tech."

Grinning, Peebee set off for the stairs. Terry touched Alec's arm. "Dad? What were you going to say before she interrupted us?"

"It'll keep," he told her.

Though she frowned, Terry fell silent and walked along with him in Peebee's wake.

*

"Pathfinder, this is the exact navpoint indicated by the ZK Trackers," SAM reported as they approached the shuttle in the Nalesh system.

Suvi looked frustrated as she studied the readings on her console. "Damn it! The shuttle's just a relay." She kept working. "But I think I can get in their feed. Hold on."

"Signal's through," an unfamiliar male voice stated once Suvi finished. "Ready for coordinate transfer and... Who the fuck?" Whoever it was must have realized they were eavesdropping. "We've been found, dead-head the comms!"

Alec gave an exasperated sigh. "Not this again. I'm a Pathfinder! I just want to talk."

"Wait, one of you actually showed up?" He sounded dubious, not that Terry blamed him.

Another voice, female this time, came over the comm: "Harlan, stop talking."

"Dr. Kennedy?" Alec asked, gripping the bridge console tightly. "This is Alec Ryder. Are you okay? Addison is concerned about you and your tech."

Next to Terry, Suvi whispered, "Keep them talking, Pathfinder. Tracing."

"I'm trying to stop the stealing," Alec continued, a slight nod the only indication that he'd heard Suvi. "I have outposts of people trying to start their lives."

Harlan answered first, his voice wry, "Outposts starting lives, huh?"

"Let them see, Harlan," Kennedy told him, sounding tired.

Suvi stared at her console, quickly pressing buttons. "They just forwarded Dr. Kennedy's medical profile?" Her eyes widened at something she saw, quickly sending it to Alec and Terry's omni-tools. "Pathfinder!"

"She's pregnant?" Alec stared at his omni-tool. " _Why_ , Zoe? We were supposed to wait until we were stable."

Kennedy responded with irritation. "And when was that going to be? Everything was going wrong. The Nexus had no plan. The CRC wasn't even out of cryo."

"For good reason!" Alec practically shouted, making them flinch. He so rarely let his emotions get the better of him. "It was bad enough to--"

Stopping short, he turned and stalked off the bridge. Terry drew in a shaky breath and took his place. She had a good idea as to why this upset him so much. "Dr. Kennedy? This is Terry Ryder, Alec's second."

"This wasn't about waiting until we could afford a house," Kennedy replied, sounding shaken, but determined to say her piece. "We were dying. So I left. With enough meds for Harlan and I to get off the blockers."

Terry had pulled up Kennedy's medical profile on her omni-tool, but didn't know how to interpret the data. "How far along? Dr. Kennedy, how long?"

"Eight months," Harlan replied for her. "Give or take."

Kennedy's voice followed right after his. "We're not going back. You're not getting my tech, we'll be fine without you. Tell Addison..." After a pause, she seemed to change her mind. "Fuck it, don't tell her anything. Kill it."

"Wait!" The shuttle disappeared in fiery explosion.

Without being asked, Suvi reported, "They flashed the core. Couldn't get a trace."

"Fuck, this is worse than we thought." Terry scrubbed her eyes. "Take us back to Voeld. We have other missions to complete."

As the ship shifted under her feet, Terry left the bridge. Once the door closed behind her, she asked quietly, "Where is he, SAM?"

"In his quarters," SAM told her, modulating his volume. He didn't use their private channel because Alec would have heard, too.

She nodded and climbed down the ladder. The door to Alec's quarters opened at her approach. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at something on his omni-tool. When Terry sat down beside him, he tilted his arm so she could see the video: her and Freddy as newborns in the hospital. Gruffly, he told her, "With all the advances of modern medicine, giving birth is still dangerous to both mother and child. So much can go wrong, even in a proper hospital with staff to help."

"I'm still here, Dad," she reminded him quietly, leaning against his shoulder. "You didn't lose me and we'll make sure Dr. Kennedy doesn't lose her baby."

He sighed heavily, sounding exasperated now. "Of all the stupid, irresponsible--" He scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "How could _anyone_ think having a baby without outposts was a _good_ idea?"

"She's pregnant now and all we can do is try to find her before the situation gets worse," Terry told him firmly.

Alec nodded and stood up. "I'd better go tell Addison about this. And suggest we start officially taking people off the blockers."

"And wake up the members of the CRC," Terry added.

Alec made a face, but nodded again. "Gil will be happy. His best friend is the head of the CRC."

He left before Terry could ask about that. Shrugging, she left for her quarters to begin getting ready to go down to Voeld when they reached it.


	11. Growing the Initiative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pathfinder finds the _Leusinia_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to limit how much in-game dialogue I used, but sometimes it just had to be included.

"Are you _sure_ Voeld is warmer, SAM?" Terry asked once they emerged from the Resistance base. "It sure doesn't feel like it."

Jaal winced sympathetically when SAM answered, "The average ambient temperature is higher than our previous visit."

"Doesn't fucking _feel_ like it," Terry muttered, rubbing her arms briskly.

Alec finished unlocking the Nomad, the doors slowly opening. Both Terry and Cora practically dove inside and Alec wasted no time climbing up, either. The last to get in, Jaal asked, "Were you _planning_ on settling here on Voeld? Your species seems quite vulnerable to it."

"According to the scans we made 600 years ago, this planet was _much_ warmer," Cora explained from the backseat.

He twisted to look back at her and noticed that the two women were huddled together. Terry nodded when she saw him looking at them. "And some humans _like_ the cold. None of us fall into that category."

"The twins mostly grew up on the Citadel back in the Milky Way," Alec added. "Like the Nexus, it was center of government and commerce for allied races. Even when we visited Earth, the weather tended to be much warmer than this."

Cora sounded wistful. "I visited Earth once. It was beautiful."

"Humans seem to be very fragile compared to most other Milky Way races," Jaal mused, and then quickly amended the thought, "Except for salarians."

Terry laughed softly. "That's why we developed gear to help us handle more extreme weather."

"This is one of the navpoints Major Varn gave us," Alec announced, bringing the Nomad to a stop. "Everybody out."

Jaal didn't hesitate to climb out, barely noticing the cold as he waited for the others. Terry grumbled a little, but she did eventually climb out, as did Alec and Cora. As expected, they fought off a group of kett. Once they were dead, Alec crouched to inspect one. "He's wearing armor. That's not typical."

"And has a Milky Way transceiver implanted under his skin," Terry added once she scanned the body. "Suspicious."

Straightening up, Alec shook his head. "It doesn't prove anything, though."

"Where to next?" Cora asked, rubbing her arms.

After a moment's thought, Terry offered, "We're not far from Techiix and that's where Dr. Aden's equipment is."

"Best to get that over with," Alec agreed, lightly punching Terry's shoulder.

They piled back into the Nomad and set off. Along the way, SAM detected a signal from the _Periphona_. "That's strange. There's not even debris."

"The abundance of ice and minerals could be reflecting false signals," SAM explained. "You will have to investigate the other locations to find the correct one."

Cora leaned forward in her seat and Alec answered before she could even speak, "After we stop at Techiix, Cora. We'll find it."

"Yes, sir." Cora sat back with a sigh.

The evidence they found at Techiix was just as inconclusive as what they'd found on the kett. Terry shook her head. "I think we'll have to talk to Captain Hayjer, Dad."

"I agree, Terry." Alec nodded, looking frustrated. "It feels like there's something more going on that we don't know about."

Jaal looked at them curiously. "A further plot?"

"I'm not sure." Alec shrugged. "Come on, let's go find the _Periphona_."

The first navpoint SAM suggested was empty of any signs of a crashed ship. The next navpoint had wreckage of a ship scattered across the area and kett picking it over. Without a second thought, they jumped out of the Nomad and began firing. Afterwards, Cora stood and stared at the wreckage. "Is this all that's left of the _Periphona_?"

"Correct," SAM replied. "My readings are consistent with the Nexus database."

Terry nudged a piece of metal with the toe of a boot. "The kett didn't just attack. They pulverized the ship."

"They didn't intend to take prisoners," Alec added, slowly pacing through the debris with his scanner active. "Ah! Here's the transponder."

They hurried to join him. Terry brushed away the snow that had gathered on top, only for more to take its place. Resting her hand on the transponder, Cora glanced at the debris around them. "This was a brutal attack. The _Periphona_ was no match for the kett."

"There's a flight recorder," Jaal announced, having been using his omni-tool while Alec inspected the transponder and Terry poked through the debris for anything else useful.

Bringing up her omni-tool, Cora found it, too. "It's in bad shape, but let's see what's--"

"Final log. If the ark ever finds this, we failed." The voice that started playing sounded shaky and upset. "Couldn't draw them off. The data copy's lost. The Decimation's too cunning. Forgive us. We tried."

Cora frowned thoughtfully. "'The Decimation'? Hydaria mentioned specialized kett hunters. Maybe that's them."

"Maybe the flight recorder can help us find the ark," Alec suggested. "There should be a nav record that we can use."

Nodding, Cora added, "If it survived. SAM?"

"I can assist," he assured her without further prompting.

She nodded again, looking determined. "I'll work on that once we get back to the _Tempest_."

"Before we head back, we should investigate that city the kett were so interested in." Terry pointed back the way they'd come.

Alec chuckled as they headed back to the Nomad. "You just want to play archeologist again."

"Of course!" Terry sounded much more upbeat. Jaal remembered how she'd lit up when they'd found the crashed ship on Havarl. "We may find something completely new there."

The doors closed and Alec turned the Nomad around. "You don't have to talk me into it, Terry. I'm just as curious as you are."

"I wonder if we'll find angara there," Jaal mused as the Nomad sped along.

Terry reached forward and squeezed his shoulder. "We'll free them if we do."

"Thank you."

*

Once the _Tempest_ was headed to the Nexus, Suvi took a break and found Terry in her quarters, bundled up in a blanket and looking at a figurine. "What's this?"

"An ancient relic we found on Voeld," Terry explained, holding it up for Suvi to look at as she took off her boots. "Not far from that ancient AI."

Her boots removed, Suvi joined Terry under the blanket, pressing close. Terry kissed her cheek. "Why did you send her to the angara even though she wished to stay with SAM?"

"I didn't make that choice," Terry replied, setting the figurine down and wrapping her arms around Suvi. "Dad did."

Suvi kissed Terry's cheek. "Did he explain his reasoning?"

"Whatever that AI is, she's a key to the angara's past," Terry lightly touched her forehead to Suvi's. "Dad felt she belonged with them instead of the Initiative."

Taking one of Terry's hands in hers, Suvi squeezed it gently. "Do you agree?"

"I'm... not sure." Terry pressed her lips together. "On the one hand, I don't like going against someone's wishes like that. On the other, if we'd kept her, what sort of message would that have sent the angara? We may have an accord right now, but to keep her from them might have affected our relations."

Suvi smiled gently and brought Terry's hand up to kiss the back. "It sounds like giving her to the angara was the right thing to do, even if it wasn't what _she_ wanted."

"When we visit Aya, I can talk with her," SAM interjected then.

Terry laughed softly. "There _is_ that, too." She sighed, tugging the blanket tighter around them.

"Is something else troubling you?" Suvi asked, feeling a little stifled, but ignoring it because Terry probably still felt chilled from Voeld.

After a moment, Terry sighed. "We found more evidence that the kett have been studying us. And the Archon isn't the top of the food chain."

"What do you mean?" Suvi wondered, tangling their fingers together.

Another sigh. "He has superiors beyond the cluster that he's supposed to report to, but apparently he's not doing that and preventing other kett from doing the same."

"Would you say that's a good or bad thing?" She pressed closer to Terry at the thought of more kett, possibly worse than the Archon.

Terry shrugged, tightening her arms around Suvi. "I'm not sure. I don't like the idea of more kett out there, possibly _worse_ than the Archon. Still, it seems that some of his underlings don't like the fact that he's apparently deviating from orders, so maybe we can use that somehow."

"No ideas on how, though?" Suvi asked, resting her head on Terry's shoulder.

A shake of the head. "Not yet. We also found kett genetic samples, so Lexi's happy."

"The other scientists on the Nexus sent their thanks for those, by the way," Suvi told her with a smile.

Terry laughed again, only for it to turn into a yawn. "Oh, excuse me."

"There's still time before we get to the Nexus." Suvi reluctantly pulled away so Terry could stretch out.

Terry caught her hand before she could move away. "Stay with me? At least a little while?"

"Of course." Suvi smiled and waited for Terry to get comfortable before joining her under the covers. She gently stroked Terry's hair and shoulders as the latter drifted off to sleep.

Suvi remained awake until Kallo requested her presence on the bridge. Kissing Terry's cheek, she slipped from the bed and put her boots back on before climbing the ladder to the bridge.

*

"Ryder!" Alec and Terry stopped at the sound of their name, turning to see Avitus approaching them, looking agitated.

Alec offered his hand. "Avitus. How's the search for the _Natanus_ going?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," he replied, his mandibles quivering ever so slightly as he shook Alec's hand, and then Terry's. "I've heard rumors that scavengers found pieces of an ark on a planet called Elaaden."

Father and daughter exchanged glances. It looked more and more likely that they needed to head there. Turning back to Avitus, Alec told him, "It might be nothing, you know."

"We won't know unless someone checks it out," Avitus told him firmly. "I can't right now."

Alec stifled a sigh. As much as he hated the cold, he hated the heat even more. "We'll have to head there ourselves, eventually, so give me the navpoint."

"Thank you, Alec." Avitus tapped at his omni-tool to transfer the information.

Alec and Terry both checked their omni-tools to ensure they'd gotten it. "Let me know if you find anything on your end, Avitus."

"Will do." Avitus shook their hands again and walked off.

As they continued towards the tram, Terry said, "Avitus is awfully invested in finding the _Natanus_. I mean, I would be, too, in his place, but--"

"I don't have solid proof," Alec told her once the doors closed behind them, "but I think Macen and Avitus are a couple. So finding the _Natanus_ is as much about finding his partner as finding the ark and his people."

Terry blinked and stared at him for a moment. "Oh. That hadn't occurred to me."

"They never made an issue of it and, honestly, it never mattered to me." Alec felt a slight twinge of guilt at the thought that he knew _exactly_ where his partners were while Avitus was still looking for his.

She shrugged. "It hasn't kept him from looking after his people or finding the ones who are still missing, so it works." Lowering her voice, she asked, "Are you _sure_ about investigating the apartment like Hayjer suggested? It's not exactly legal."

"Different galaxy, different rules," Alec reminded her in a whisper. "Besides, it's not as if we have any other leads to follow."

Terry nodded, making a face. "I still don't like it. We shouldn't be above the law."

"I know." He hugged her lightly. "As long as we remember that we're not, even if we bend the law at times, we'll be fine."

Just then, SAM spoke up from their omni-tools. "Someone is trying to contact you, Alec, Terry."

"Patch them through," Alec said, lifting his arm.

A familiar face appeared on the screen. "Howdy, strangers, long time no see."

"Freddy!" Terry grinned, peering over Alec's shoulder at the screen. "It's good to see you! What are you doing here?"

He laughed. "Picking up supplies for Ditaeon. What about you?"

"Supplies, too," Alec replied, amused. "And a few errands."

Freddy looked away for a moment, presumably to direct his shuttle. "Do you have time to visit, or do you need to get going?"

"We have time," Alec assured him, pleased to see his son again.

Terry added, "Meet us at the Vortex."

"Will do." Freddy offered them a grin and wink. "Gotta sign off now."

Lowering his arm, Alec told her, "You meet Freddy, I'll go investigate that apartment."

"You're not going to--" she stopped when he lightly tapped his forehead against hers.

Smiling ruefully, he told her, "I'll join you afterwards. Better for one person to go than two, anyway. Okay?"

"Okay." Terry smiled and they exited the tram.

While she headed to the Vortex, Alec headed up to the apartment. It was very sterile and meticulously clean. Thanks to SAM and his scanner, Alec still found traces that all pointed to the same planet: Elaaden. Stifling a sigh, he exited the apartment and almost literally ran into Rand Lon. Though he was suspicious, especially when Alec mentioned he was helping Major Varn, he decided not to press charges and Alec headed downstairs to the Vortex. He spotted the twins seated across from each other in a booth and walked over to join them. A bulky package next to Freddy meant Alec sat down next to Terry. "Hey, kids."

"We get enough of that from Drack," Terry retorted without heat.

Freddy only laughed. "Hi, Dad. How'd your thing go?"

"Fruitful," Alec told him, unwilling to say more around so many people. "How are things going on Kadara?"

Still smiling, Freddy told him, "Fruitful as well. In fact--" he picked up the package next to him and set it on the table. "We found this for you, Terry."

"Oh?" Eager, Terry unwrapped it to reveal some sort of relic. "What is it?"

Freddy shrugged. "We're not sure. None of us had a SAM to analyze it for us."

"Well, let's see." Terry scanned the artifact.

SAM informed them, "It appears to be an instrument of some kind, designed to work with the angara bioelectricity."

"Avela will _love_ this," Terry declared, carefully wrapping it back up. "Thanks, Freddy."

He grinned, setting it beside him once more. Before he could say anything, his omni-tool chimed. Looking at it, a frown replaced his grin. "What? There's been a delay regarding the supplies I'm picking up. Someone named Spender is trying to say that they're supposed to go to Voeld, not Kadara."

"Set Kesh on him," Terry suggested, exchanging a glance with Alec. "She'll straighten it out."

Alec had already sent a message to Kesh. Freddy eyed them thoughtfully. "Something I should know about this guy?"

"We don't have concrete proof," Alec told him quietly. "So best not to say anything."

Freddy nodded just as his omni-tool chimed again. He laughed when he checked it. "Kesh said it's all sorted, but there's still going to be a delay as they finish sorting the mess."

"How long?" Terry asked, leaning her folded arms on the table.

Freddy's shoulders slumped. "Longer than I'd like."

"We're going to head out to find the _Leusinia_ if you wanted to join us," Alec offered after a quick glance at Terry.

Freddy stared at them. "You have plenty of people--"

"We've missed having you along, Freddy," Terry told him quietly. "It'd beat hanging around the Nexus without anything to do."

Alec reached across the table and covered Freddy's hand with his. "Please, Freddy?"

"All right. I'll come with." He smiled, squeezing Alec's hand for a moment.

As they stood up and Terry picked up the angaran instrument, Freddy sent a message to Kesh. Walking towards the docks, his omni-tool chimed again and he laughed, showing the message to Alec: _Your shuttle should be stocked by the time you get back. Make sure to kick some kett ass for me while you're out there._

*

"Oh, hey, Freddy." Peebee hadn't expected to find the youngest Ryder on the ship, let alone in the galley. "What are you doing here?"

He answered with a grin and a wink. "Cooking. What else would I be doing here?"

"Very funny." She perched on the edge of the table as he turned back to the counter. "I thought you were on Kadara."

Keeping his back to her, Freddy replied, "I was, but some of us take turns making supply runs to the Nexus."

"That still doesn't explain you being on the _Tempest_ ," Peebee pointed out, feeling like she was pulling teeth or something.

He shrugged and bent to open the oven, sliding the pan into it. She almost missed his reply because she was busy admiring his ass. "There was a problem with the supplies and it was going to take a while, so Dad and Terry invited me to come along to find the _Leusinia_ instead of sitting around on the Nexus."

"Oh. That was nice of them." Peebee tucked her hands under legs, resisting the impulse to reach out and goose Freddy.

Freddy straightened up and turned to face her. "Yeah, I've missed being on the _Tempest_. Kadara's great, especially with Reyes, but I miss a deck beneath my feet and the stars all around me."

"Not to mention you don't get to go exploring yourself," she pointed out, remembering his reason for coming to Andromeda besides sticking with his family.

He smiled ruefully. "Yeah, there's that, too."

"I've missed you," Peebee confided quietly after a short silence. "Everyone's great, of course, but I can't talk with them the way I can talk with you."

Freddy gave her a nudge with his biotics, almost knocking her off her perch. "I'm here now."

"Yeah." She returned the shove with her own biotics. "Cora doesn't 'play' with her biotics like you do, either."

He grinned and wiggled his fingers. Peebee nearly fell off her perch when she felt his biotics tickling her. "Having a problem, Peebs?"

"What-- How--" Peebee squirmed and giggled, trying to get away from the tickling fingers.

Freddy dropped his hand and the tickling stopped. "Something I picked up from one of the other biotics on Ditaeon."

"You are very dangerous." She tried to catch her breath. "Now, how did that go..."

After a few moments, she figured out the trick and started tickling Freddy, who squirmed and backed away, even as he laughed. "Dammit, no fair."

"I thought we agreed no funny business in here?" Terry remarked from the doorway, looking amused. Drack stood behind her, peering over her shoulder.

Peebee offered the junior Pathfinder her very best innocent look. "No one said anything to _me_ about funny business."

"That was before Eos," Freddy explained, catching his breath.

Terry nodded, snapping her fingers. "Right. Well, anyway, if you're going to mess around, do it somewhere safer."

"Just ruin all our fun." She hopped down from the table and moved to the door.

As Terry stepped aside, she whispered, "Freddy's most ticklish under his arms."

"Most humans are," Drack added before Peebee could reply.

She glanced back at Freddy and nodded. "Thanks!"

With that, Peebee climbed up the ladder and slipped into her little bedroom. Sealing the escape pod, she turned off the gravity and let herself float once more. _I really **have** missed him. Not just the sex, but just spending time with him. Stupid fucking pull is getting stronger.  
_

*

"That _noise_... it's gone." Cora relaxed, relieved to have the noise gone.

Freddy nodded, the slight squint around his eyes easing. "Yeah, that wasn't fun."

"Um, is that okay?" Liam asked, indicating the pieces of the hull falling away from the ark.

Atandra contacted them to let them know that the drive core was coming online. "A few minutes and we're out of here."

"Can we go to FTL if there's, say a big hull breach down here?" Alec asked curiously, glancing at the hull breach in question.

Both twins muffled their giggles at his question, leaning against each other. Liam grinned and nudged Freddy. Cora shook her head, not sure why they found the question so funny. Vederia looked confused and Cora told her in a low voice, "Don't worry about it."

"Uh, the maneuver I've planned _should_ hold us together," Atandra replied after a brief hesitation. "If the FTL burn doesn't--we'll have to cope."

Cora and Vederia both unconsciously stood straighter at the next voice, "Sarissa here. Superb work, all of you. We're almost home."

"It's really over." Vederia looked relieved, her posture relaxing. "I should go and help--there might be something I can do."

Terry, having composed herself, reached out and clasped her shoulder. "You helped save this whole ark. Not bad for your first big mission."

"Sarissa should be proud, Vederia," Cora added, offering the best compliment she could think of for someone in Vederia's position. "You'll be one hell of a commando."

Vederia inclined her head, smiling faintly. "You'd know, Lieutenant. Thank you." Her glance encompassed all of them. "For everything. Goddess guide you."

"Pathfinder," SAM piped up once the door closed behind Vederia. "Restoring power has freed up a data cache. It includes the succession log from Matriarch Ishara."

Alec frowned, looking down at his omni-tool. "Can you access it?"

"Forget the data!" Ishara's voice, full of desperation, played from Alec's omni-tool and the five of them unconsciously drew closer to each other. "I need you--the barrier's collapsing!"

Sarissa's voice played next, "Ishara, they'll tear the ark apart. I... that data is the only thing that might buy us time."

"Kett reinforcements approaching, Pathfinder Ishara." Cora still wasn't sure how each SAM sounded different from the others despite having the same programming.

Ishara's voice sounded more desperate as she said, "Sarissa! My SAM can't--Tiamna, _please_!"

"I have to save them, even if I can't save--" A long pause and Sarissa's voice continued, quiet and sad: "Forgive me."

As she listened, Cora turned away, bowing her head in grief and sadness over the truth of what had happened. Feeling tears sting her eyes, she quietly told them, "'Tiamna' used to mean 'guardian of temples.' A champion who stayed faithful even when all was lost." She turned back to the others, noticing that both twins were pressed close to Alec and Liam had a hand resting on each of their shoulders. "Sarissa left her to die."

"What good is a guardian who doesn't defend her Pathfinder when it matters?" Alec asked quietly, wrapping his arms around his children.

Cora remembered the battle manuals she'd studied so faithfully over the years, memorizing every word in hopes that it would help her be a better huntress, work better with her teammates. Anger began to churn in her gut. "After everything she wrote on duty, sacrifice..." She shook her head and looked helplessly at Alec. "Damn it all, Pathfinder, what do I do?"

"First we--" Alec stopped short at the sound of... something outside the ark. The kett were attacking, one last attempt to keep the asari from getting away.

Pushing down her emotions, Cora focused on repelling the kett. Her attention narrowed down to killing kett or at least knocking them back out of the ark. The leader of the force managed to give one last order before Sarissa sent him flying out into space. Liam warned them: "Incoming fire!"

"Like the Battle of Kerkis... There's still a chance!" Striding forward, Sarissa summoned a large mass effect barrier over the opening. When she began to struggle, she asked Cora to help. After a moment of indecision, Cora dashed forward to strengthen the barrier.

A moment later, Freddy joined them, adding the last bit of biotic power they needed to send the barrier exploding outward from the ark. The projectiles that had fired on the Valiant's command hit the blooming barrier and bounced back, hitting the kett ship and destroying it. As they dashed for the door, Alec said, "Captain, get us out of here!"

"Punching it!" Atandra reported just as Liam hit the control to seal the door shut behind them. "Hold on!"

They felt the shift as the _Leusinia_ made the jump to FTL, presumably headed towards the Nexus. Cora slumped against the bulkhead, feeling a little light-headed. It'd been a long time since she'd had to use her biotics like that. Leaning against the bulkhead beside Cora, Freddy commented quietly, "That was a _big_ sneeze."

"Freddy..." Reminded of the time she'd tried to describe using her biotics to Jaal, Cora began to giggle helplessly.

Terry grinned. "Now _that_ would be a novel way to stop the Archon: sneeze him to death."

"That's terrible, Terry," Alec told her, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth as Liam laughed so hard that he had to lean against the bulkhead, too.

Still grinning, Terry mimed sneezing. That did it. Alec and Freddy both started laughing, too. Sarissa watched and listened with mild amusement. "When you're done laughing yourselves sick, you should join us on the bridge."

"We'll be there as soon as we can!" Terry called after her as she headed down the corridor.

Once the door closed behind Sarissa, Terry started laughing, too. Even as she laughed with the others, Cora knew they faced an important decision: should they tell the asari the truth about what happened or should they hide it?

*

Alec found Cora in the botany lab, sitting at the workstation with her head in her hands. Clearing his throat to announce his presence, he asked, "Are you all right, Cora?"

"Can I just do today over again?" she asked, her head still in her hands. "And not have a Pathfinder stripped of everything she loves?" Sighing, she finally looked up at him with a dejected expression. "I put so much faith in Sarissa. But the asari were just as lost as we are."

A smirk tugging at his lips, he told her, "We're not lost. I'd say we're muddling along just fine."

"Should've known better than to say that to a _Pathfinder_." Cora gave a soft, wry laugh. "Thank you for being there, on the _Leusinia_. Can I tell you something?"

Alec nodded, leaning one shoulder against the bulkhead. "Of course."

"You may have chosen Terry as your successor to save her life, but it was the right decision." She held up a hand when he opened his mouth to protest. "I don't blaze a trail. I always look for the mentor, their plan. As a Pathfinder? My mistakes would be worse than Sarissa's."

He shook his head, exasperated by the reminder of what she'd done. "Sarissa? She lied just to stay a hero. You fight, you save lives, and you don't need applause for doing it."

"That isn't--" Cora started, but he held up a hand to stop her protest.

"It _is_ true. Deal with it." He sighed and sat down in a nearby chair. "I have something to tell you, too." She raised her eyebrows, but waited patiently for him to continue. After a moment, he told her, "I always intended for Terry or Freddy to be my successor."

She frowned, staring at him for a few moments as she worked through that. "But you didn't stop me from doing the Pathfinder training. Why?"

"Two reasons." He held up two fingers. "You'd been with the commandos for a long time. You needed help to adjust to dealing with humans again.

Cora's frown remained. "I--" she stopped and reluctantly nodded. "That's a fair point."

"Also, since Terry refused to do the training, I hoped you or Freddy being her second-in-command if she ended up as Pathfinder would help make up for that." He gave her an apologetic look as he finished his explanation.

She lifted her chin, a determined glint in her eyes. "If you'd died and Freddy's coma lasted longer than it did, I'd have done everything I could to help Terry."

"Thank you, Cora." He squeezed her shoulder lightly, reassured by her declaration. "It's good to know I can count on you to watch Terry and Freddy's backs when I can't."

Cora nodded firmly. "Absolutely, sir."

"You don't have to keep calling me 'sir' all the time," Alec told her, understanding all the same why she'd been doing it.

Another nod, accompanied by a sheepish smile. "Yes, sir-- Alec.

"I'm not a knight, Cora." His soft laugh took the sting out of his words.

"Thank you for telling me the truth, Alec." She met his eyes earnestly. "I appreciate it more than you can know, especially in light of what happened on the _Leusinia_."

Alec nodded, a wry smile touching his lips. "I'm not perfect and I don't want anyone to assume otherwise. Least of all the people under my command."

"You chose to save Terry's life and we're all doing what we can to adjust to that." Cora stood up when he did, touching his arm lightly.

He nodded, understanding what she was trying to say. "If you can't outrun it, you gotta use it."

"I remember that. Still true." A ghost of a smile twitched Cora's lips. She sighed the next moment. "I need to think a bit, but I'll be okay. And on deck whenever you need me."

Alec smiled faintly, patting her shoulder. "Take all the time you need, Cora."

"Thanks, Alec." Her hand twitched with the impulse to salute.

"Always, Cora." With that, he left the lab, pleased that she would be fine, given time and patience from the rest of them.

*

"Hey, Peebs." Freddy poked his head into her 'bedroom', frowning when he realized she was focused on the datapad in her hands.

She didn't look up from the datapad, focused on her work. "Hey, Freddy."

"You all right?" He entered fully and leaned back against the bulkhead, hands tucked into his pants pockets.

Peebee shrugged. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"After what we learned about Sarissa..." Freddy shrugged, too.

She sighed and set her datapad down. "I wasn't the one invested in finding the asari ark, remember? That was Cora."

"I remember." He moved to perch on the opening for the escape pod. "Still doesn't mean you can't be hurt or bothered about it."

Peebee sighed again and wiggled her fingers. Freddy squirmed and wriggled when he felt phantom biotics begin tickling under his arms. As he began laughing helplessly, he lost his balance and fell into the pod. The tickling abruptly stopped and Peebee poked her head into the pod. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Freddy grinned and wiggled his fingers. The next moment, Peebee began to giggle helplessly, twisting and wriggling as he tickled her in retaliation.

As she continued to squirm in an effort to escape his tickling, she overbalanced and fell on top of him. "Oops, I'm sorry, Freddy."

"It's all right," he assured her, helping her pick herself up. "It's partly my fault for tickling you."

Peebee laughed, bracing her hands on either side of his shoulders. "I tickled you first, though."

"Yeah..." Freddy's voice trailed off when he realized that she was straddling his hips, her face close enough for him to kiss her if he wanted.

She stared down at him, gold eyes intent. "Freddy…"

"Peebee..." he whispered, unable to keep his longing for her out of his voice.

As if that was all the invitation she needed, Peebee closed the distance between them to kiss him, as delicious and exciting as he remembered. "Yes..."

Freddy kissed her back, enjoying the moment until she dragged her lips away to kiss and nip her way along his jaw and neck. Then he remembered Reyes and reluctantly pushed her away. "No, we shouldn't."

"Shit, Reyes." She rolled off him, draping an arm across her eyes. "I'm sorry, I forgot."

He sighed, catching her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I did, too, for a few moments."

"Lemme ask you this." Peebee sat up, drawing her knees to her chest. "What if Reyes said he didn't mind if you had sex with other people? Not have relationships with them, necessarily, but just had sex."

Freddy stared at her in surprise, sitting up, too. He'd never considered that! "I-- I'm not sure. It's never occurred to me before."

"Well, you said you were hurt when Simon slept with other people behind your back." She shrugged and wrapped her arms around her knees. "What if he'd _asked_ you about him sleeping with other people?"

He shrugged, picking at the decking beneath them. "I... don't know. I suppose it would have depended on how he'd asked. If he'd been an arrogant ass about it, no."

" _You're_ not an arrogant ass," Peebee pointed out quietly, covering his hand with hers.

Freddy sighed deeply, his hand going still under hers. "I'd still feel like I'm cheating on him."

"It was just a thought." Smiling wryly, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You're sweet, Freddy, and I hope Reyes realizes how lucky he is to have you."

Smiling sadly, he kissed her cheek in return. "Thanks, Peebs."

"Always, Freddy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't heard Cora describe using her biotics to Jaal, you really should. It's kind of funny.


	12. Further Growth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pathfinder establishes a colony on Elaaden and finds the turian Pathfinder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting close to some very interesting romantic developments. If you can't see them coming, I didn't do my job right.

"A bomb?" Alec muttered once they'd climbed into the Nomad after visiting New Tuchanka. After dropping Freddy off at the Nexus, they'd set course for Elaaden. "Really? I can't believe it."

Drack shook his head as Alec sent the Nomad speeding across the sand. "I can't believe it, either. She may have a grudge against the Nexus, but plotting to blow it up?"

"Especially when she could probably use the drive core to help power New Tuchanka," Terry added, leaning forward from the back seat.

As they bounced over a sand dune, Vetra asked, "So what's the plan, Pathfinders?"

"Find the drive core before Morda does," Alec replied, his eyes on the sand outside. "And hope that she can be reasonable, despite what Tann and others like him think."

Drack gave a pleased rumble. "You're one of the few people who understand, Ryder."

"If we're going to find the drive core, why are we headed in the wrong direction?" Terry asked after a short silence.

Turning in his seat, Drack could see her consulting her omni-tool. Alec answered calmly, "The navpoint Avitus told us about is this way. Given the weather and what we saw on Havarl, I want to find the debris as soon as possible."

"Fair enough." Drack had read the reports the two Ryders, Jaal, and Vetra had filed about the incident in question.

Quietly, Terry asked, "Are you all right, Vetra? They're your people in a way."

"Not really. They're turians, yeah, but I never went to boot camp, so..." her voice trailed off and she left it to them to draw their own conclusions.

Still driving, Alec reminded her, "There's no boot camp here in Andromeda, Vetra. That doesn't mean anything here."

"It still does to some," Vetra answered stiffly.

Drack added his own thoughts, "You're on the Pathfinder team, Vetra. You're helping to find a home for everyone, including the people who _would_ consider that important. Just remind them of that if they start getting snooty."

"Thanks, old man," Vetra laughed softly.

Terry laughed, too. "Andromeda is about new starts. Old standards should have been left behind in the Milky Way anyway."

"When things go to shit like they have," Alec pointed out, "People hang on to the old and familiar to help them deal with the new and strange."

Terry hummed thoughtfully, but didn't say anything else. They finally neared the navpoint and could see scavengers circling around something half-buried in the sand. They quickly dispatched them and the things in the sand were stasis pods from the _Natanus_. Terry rushed to one of the pods anyway. "This one still has power. Help me get it open."

"Terry." Alec crouched beside Terry, reluctantly pulling her hand away from the controls. "They're all dead. SAM confirmed it."

She bowed her head and Drack saw Alec squeeze her hand gently. Nodding, she took a deep breath and said, "SAM, check the pod's history."

"According to the final log, this stasis pod was jettisoned from Ark _Natanus_ ," SAM reported as the two Ryders straightened up.

Vetra offered a suggestion for what might have happened, "Maybe when it hit the Scourge?"

"The timeline doesn't match," SAM calmly objected and Vetra's mandibles flared slightly. "This pod was ejected long after _Natanus_ was reported missing."

Alec kicked the pod with the toe of one boot. "These stasis pods were dumped for a reason."

"Pick one," Vetra replied with exasperation. "Andromeda's nothing but dangerous."

Terry turned from scanning the other pods. "At least Macen's not here. We should contact Avitus as soon as we can. Maybe he's found something."

"After we figure out what else is going on here," Alec replied, wrapping an arm around Terry's shoulders and squeezing lightly.

She leaned into him for a moment before they headed back to the Nomad. Drack walked alongside Vetra and asked, "You okay?"

"How many other turians are dead, Drack?" she asked quietly. "Will there be enough of us in Andromeda to make this work?"

He bumped her with his shoulder, trying to offer her comfort like he had Kesh when she was little. "Don't speculate. Just focus on helping to find the ark."

"Right. Thanks, Drack." She bumped him back.

He grinned. "Sure thing, Vetra."

*

Despite the missing turians, Vetra had to admit that this trip to Elaaden was working out pretty well. They'd found two of the three monoliths already and were tracking down the drive core from the Remnant derelict. Somehow, it ended up at the flophouse, dubbed Misery by the locals who'd been victimized repeatedly by the scavengers. After clearing it out, Alec led them to a cave system opposite the shacks the scavengers had been using. After the fight, when they found the core sitting in the middle of the room, Vetra demanded of no one in particular: "What's going on? Strux and these guys actually took the drive core?"

"I think I feel used," Terry sounded annoyed, tapping the core with the toe of her boot. "I'm not sure for what, though."

Alec gripped her shoulder for a moment. "Drack, any ideas?"

"A few." Drack looked thoughtful, a rare expression for him. "Clan Jorgal is the worst. Unbalanced. Unreliable."

Vetra couldn't help feeling alarmed at that. "You think maybe Strux wants to build a bomb?"

"Or just sell it on Kadara?" Terry suggested, and then shook her head, her next question pointing out the flaw in her suggestion. "But then why hide it here?"

Drack shrugged. "I don't know, but I can't wait to find out."

"This is serious," Alec remarked squeezing Terry's shoulder again. "Political double-crosses involving enormous bombs rarely go well." His voice turning brisk, Alec addressed them. "Drack, do me a favor and don't spill this to the krogan yet. I want to talk to Morda and Strux face-to-face."

Grinning, Drack nodded. "You got it."

"Gil, I need you to send an ops crew to this location," Alec ordered, activating the comm on his omni-tool. "They're picking up a Remnant drive core."

Their engineer's response came promptly. "Got it, will do."

"SAM, change the password on the door to this place and transmit it to Gil." They followed Alec to the door. "Keep that tech safe. It might be the most powerful thing we've found."

As they trudged back to the Nomad, Drack asked, "You're not _really_ going to keep that core, are you, kid?"

"Depends on what we learn from Morda and Strux," Alec replied calmly. "For now, the last monolith is nearby. Let's activate it and see about resetting the vault. We need to make this place livable for everyone."

*

After resetting the vault, they headed back to New Tuchanka. Morda and Strux were waiting for them. Not surprisingly, Morda still wasn't happy with them. Alec folded his arms across his chest and asked, "Are all krogan bad listeners?"

"Wait for it," Drack told him, keeping his eyes on Strux and Morda.

Alec watched and listened as Strux puffed himself up and began his speech, "Clan Nakmor is a joke! The losers of Tuchanka and now the losers of Heleus. Overlord Morda has lost the drive core and our colony is doomed."

Morda headbutted Strux, knocking him to the ground. "You're all talk Jorgal Strux! I made this colony!"

"If there's an overlord, they should be from the oldest krogan blood, Clan Jorgal," Strux retorted, getting up. Alec glanced over his shoulder when he heard a soft gasp and saw realization on Terry's face. Strux's next words confirmed what Alec had guessed when they found his people guarding the drive core. "Watch! I'll rescue the drive core and make us so powerful that the Nexus will bow down to us!"

"Except you can't," Drack interjected, moving to stand beside Alec. "'Cause we have it."

Vetra sounded disappointed and Terry giggled at her words. "Aw, Drack. I wanted to see how long before he hung himself."

"What do you mean you have it?" Morda demanded, clearly angry.

Drack gestured to Alec. "I'll let the Pathfinder answer that."

"Strux played us both," he told Morda simply, arms still folded across his chest. "Told me you were building a bomb."

Suspicious, Morda told him, "Told me you were planning an attack on the colony." They watched her confront Strux and kick him out of the colony. That done, she turned to Alec, "Now, where's the drive core? Hand it over."

"Just like that?" Terry asked, moving forward to stand by Alec's side, sounding annoyed. "Hand it over?"

She glanced at Terry for a moment before turning her attention to Alec. "It's incredibly powerful. We'll use it to power the colony. This'll put us ahead by decades."

"Or it could do the same for Prodromos," Vetra suggested, standing behind Drack now.

Morda took a few steps back, glaring. "If you keep that drive core, it's over between the krogan and the Nexus, forever."

"You have to give us something for it," Drack told her. "S'only right."

Terry nodded as Alec told her, "We did get shot at... a lot."

"What about joining our colony with your outpost?" Morda suggested, her response too quick for her to have just come up with the idea. She must have been thinking of it, too. "Give us the drive core and we'll be friends--New Tuchanka and Nexus." Her expression turned angry when she added, "Keep it and you've created a sovereign krogan nation. We won't abide by Nexus laws or owe you anything--even peace."

Alec glanced at Terry as SAM told them over their private channel: _"Alec, I must point out that historically, unchecked krogan advancement has been the cause of war and disaster for many--even the krogan."  
_  
"A new start," Terry signed, holding Alec's gaze. "That's why we're all here."

He nodded slightly. They'd all come to Andromeda to start their lives over again. Morda was impatient, still glaring at them. "Well?"

"Okay, Morda, let's work together," Alec told her. There really hadn't been a question in his mind as to what he'd decide. They needed every possible outpost and the krogan deserved a chance to prove that they were better than their ancestors in the Milky Way. "You can have the Remnant drive core."

Morda looked as pleased as Alec could hope for. "And you can set up your outpost here, Nexus. We're all gonna be friends and prosper. Right? You bet we are. Whenever you're ready, bring your outpost people here and they'll be welcome."

"This is a great day, Morda." Drack sounded more pleased than Morda.

Alec nodded. "We'll contact Addison and give her the news." He saluted her with the utmost respect. "Good luck, Overlord Morda."

"Tann's going to _love_ this," Terry muttered as they left New Tuchanka.

Chuckling, Alec squeezed her shoulder. "Addison won't care. All that matters is one more outpost in her ledgers."

*

While Alec and Vetra helped Drack retrieve the krogan transport that'd been stolen, Terry took the coldest shower she could stand to clean away the dust and sweat and dressed in a tank top and shorts. She found Suvi in her quarters, examining the relic they'd found on Elaaden while waiting for the colonists to arrive from the Nexus. She turned at Terry's entrance, her cheeks turning pink. "Oh! Sorry, Terry."

"It's all right, Suvi." Smiling, Terry walked over and kissed her softly. "SAM wouldn't let you in if I didn't want you here."

Smiling shyly, Suvi kissed her again. "Thanks, Terry."

"I'd cuddle, but I'm still too hot," Terry admitted, digging out her comb.

Suvi gently caught Terry's hand and gestured to the hopeless mess of braids. "Would you like some help with those?"

"Yes, please." Terry grinned, touched, and sat down on the floor when Suvi perched on the edge of her bed.

She closed her eyes as Suvi undid her braids and began to comb out the tangles. "Do you think giving the drive core to the krogan was smart?"

"Maybe not, but it was _right_ ," Terry replied, her hands loosely clasped in her lap. She'd done some research after Drack joined their crew on Eos and between that and talking with him, Terry fully supported her father's efforts to help the krogan in whatever ways they could. "Everyone treats them like they're expendable or cannon fodder, but they're _not_. They're sentient beings, just like us, and deserve to be treated that way."

Suvi made a soft sound of agreement and shifted the topic, beginning to braid Terry's hair. "Did you find anything more about the salarian ark and the kett?"

"Yes, but I can't say anything more," Terry told her, a little reluctant to keep things from Suvi. In this case, the fewer people who knew, the better. At least until they'd had a chance to confront Dr. Aden. She held still and decided to change topics again, "Did you get a chance to look at the device we found?"

"I did," Suvi replied, sounding intrigued. "It's almost unbelievable, that some kett would be fighting their own. They always seemed monolithic. Almost... faceless."

Terry hummed her agreement, reminded of her own studies of history where one group stereotyped another group to justify oppressing them. Quietly, she admitted, "There's so much we still don't know about how their society functions."

Suvi finished tying off the last braid and leaned down to hug Terry around the shoulders. "The stuff you and your dad brought in is helping shed light on those questions."

"Will it help us stop the Archon, though?" Terry asked, turning and getting up to sit beside Suvi on the bed. "That device?"

Shrugging, Suvi told her, "It's secured with a biometric lock that can only be activated with a specific genetic code."

"So, like a fingerprint scan." Terry frowned with thought. "Except with a genetic fingerprint."

Suvi nodded, looking pleased that she'd understood. "Exactly. Whatever's in that, it's probably only meant for trusted individuals."

"A specific kett genetic code?" Terry threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "We have no way of knowing which one would work."

Getting up, Suvi took Terry's hands and gently pulled her to her feet. "Thankfully, I think I have a work-around. Remember those kett genetic samples you scanned on Voeld?"

"Yeah, what about them?" Terry let Suvi lead her from the Pathfinders' quarters (after grabbing the device from the bedside table), curious as to what her girlfriend had in mind.

Suvi led Terry down the corridor towards the medbay. "Lexi's been working on the data, and I have an idea that just might work."

"Um, okay." Terry reluctantly entered the medbay, firmly pushing away the memory of the day her mother died.

Lexi turned at their entrance, looking curious. "I got your memo, Suvi. Data's right here but I'm not sure what you're expecting to find."

"Tell me you have it all sequenced," Suvi requested, holding tightly to Terry's hand.

Their doctor nodded, looking confused. "Yes, of course, it's the first thing I--"

"Perfect!" Suvi interrupted with a pleased smile. Terry shrugged when Lexi looked at her curiously. "SAM, can you test combinations of sequences against the lock?"

Terry raised her eyebrows when SAM replied, "Testing..."

"Brute force, Suvi?" she asked, realizing now what Suvi had meant by a work-around.

Smiling sheepishly, Suvi told her, "Tried and true method, and with SAM's processing speed, it should take no time at--"

"Key found," SAM interrupted.

Suvi looked down at the device and skimmed through whatever information she'd found on it. Her eyes widened. "Whoa. We thought it was a data log, but it's not. It's... it's..."

"Er, it just locked onto a transmission," Lexi interjected, having been monitoring the process on her omni-tool.

Terry felt a flash of panic, remembering what had happened with the kett transponder that had led them to the Archon's ship. She grabbed for the device in Suvi's hand. "Oh, crap! Turn it off! Who knows what it's doing."

"The device is a receiver," SAM informed them. "It will not reveal our location."

Suvi smiled gently up at Terry, cupping her cheek for a moment. "This transmission is... audio."

"...the Archon has abandoned our way." The voice that came from the speaker was clearly kett. Terry held Suvi's hand tightly as they listened. "Spurns tradition, defies protocol. He abuses his authority, obsesses over Remnant secrets, and keeps us cut off from home. This cannot continue. He will return to the path of the right, or be destroyed. This is my promise. An Archon stands tall only while we hold him up."

Terry looked from Suvi to Lexi. "Someone's gunning for the Archon. I'd say that's something we can exploit."

"You don't mean... try to make some kind of deal?" Lexi asked, looking uncertain.

Suvi looked thoughtful. "I wonder if there's a way to trace the signal... Excuse me."

Terry watched her leave with a bemused smile. She turned back to Lexi. "Someone's really upset with the Archon."

"A collectivist culture would take a harsh view of any action that defied the will of the group," Lexi told her, looking as amused. "And isolating the kett here would breed resentment. They may feel...abandoned."

"Kett? Feeling abandoned?" Terry asked, surprised by the idea.

Lexi shrugged. "Some things are universal."

"Scanning for a navpoint," Suvi reported over the comm. "I'll transmit it to your omni-tool in case you and Alec want to check it out."

Terry perched on the end of a medbed. "What do you think we'll find out there?"

"I don't know." Suvi sounded uncertain and worried. "It might be a base of kett dissidents, organizing against the Archon."

Lexi moved to stand in front of Terry and scan her with her omni-tool. "Whatever it is, you and your father need to be careful."

"We're _always_ careful, I don't know what you're talking about, Lexi," Terry objected with exaggerated innocence.

Lexi was distracted from responding by Alec's voice coming over their comms, " _Tempest_ , we're taking the krogan transport down to Elaaden. Meet us on the planet."

"Roger, Pathfinder. We'll be there shortly," Kallo answered promptly.

While Terry breathed a sigh of relief, Lexi asked, "SAM, how's Alec?"

"He sustained minor cuts and contusions, but nothing worse," SAM reported.

Terry hopped to her feet with a smile. "Thanks, Lexi." She left the medbay before Lexi could say anything in reply.

*

"Hey, Liam," Terry greeted him, poking her head into the storage room he'd claimed as his space. "Dad done chewing you out?"

He looked up with a rueful smile. "Actually, he didn't do much chewing."

"Really?" Looking surprised, she entered properly and sprawled at the other end of the couch. "That's unusual."

Liam shrugged, taking a sip of his beer and offering it to Terry. "Well, I kind of beat him to it. Chewed myself out."

"Admitted that you screwed up?" Terry waved away the bottle, looking queasy for a moment. "Even though it worked out in the end?"

He nodded, taking another sip. "Yeah. I mean, it was a mess, but it was worth it. You and your dad showed Verand that 'Pathfinder' can stand for anyone."

"But?" She eyed him with raised eyebrows, a smile lurking at the corners of her mouth.

Liam sighed, resigning himself to repeating what he'd said to Alec, "But, I need to be smarter about taking risks."

"Yes, you do." Terry laughed, stretching out one leg to bump his foot with hers. "I'm sure Dad understood what you were trying to do, reaching out to Verand and bridging gaps, but we don't have a safety net here like we did in the Milky Way."

He nudged her foot in return. "Yeah, yeah." Grinning slyly, he added, "I didn't know your dad was a fan of classic movies."

"Why do you think he joined the expedition to go through the Charon Relay?" She grinned back. "He loved those sorts of movies growing up and taught Freddy and I to love them, too."

Liam held up his free hand in mock surrender. "No objection here. Just hadn't expected it of your dad of all people."

"There's a sense of humor under the stoicism," Terry told him with a wink. "He just doesn't like to show it very often."

Liam nodded. He'd seen for himself that both Alec and Terry tended to keep certain things to themselves, only relaxing around people they trusted. It meant a lot that they'd started relaxing around more of the crew and not just Freddy. "How's your stomach?"

"Ooof, I hate when people mess with artificial gravity," she replied, pressing a hand to her stomach. "I had an ear infection when I was little, so I've always been sensitive to changes in atmosphere and gravity and things."

Liam winced, realizing now why she'd spent most of the time aboard the Calot's ship with her mouth tightly shut. "Shit, I'm sorry."

"It worked out and I managed to hold on until we got back aboard the _Tempest_." Terry reached over and punched his arm. "No harm, no foul."

He grinned and punched her arm in return. "Thanks, Terry."

"Always, Liam."

*

Peebee was glad to see Freddy again and fight alongside him. She was not as glad to lose Poc, despite getting the rem-tech she needed in return. "To complete my scanner, I need access to the storage device in Poc." Resigned to explaining a bit more of her past, she told Freddy, "Kalinda's always been a troublemaker. Anything for a rise, and if there's profit in it, all the better." She shrugged. "I'm sorry you and your family are catching her crap now, Freddy. You don't have to deal with this--I'll take care of it on my own, I promise."

"We're in this together, Peebee," Alec told her over their comms. If she'd been inclined to embarrassment, she'd have blushed to realize he'd heard.

Terry added, "We're Team Pathfinder, remember?"

"Uh, thanks." She wasn't sure how to react to that. It was one thing to help her track down rem-tech. It was another to help her track down Poc, with the associated potential of a confrontation with Kalinda along the way. "When I have a lead on getting Poc back, I'll let you know."

Freddy tilted his head curiously. "Did you accomplish what you needed to out there, Dad?"

"Yeah, went off without a hitch for once," Alec replied, sounding pleased.

Grinning, Freddy asked, "Can you stick around for a bit?"

"We can wait a bit, give everyone a chance for R & R," Alec agreed.

Still grinning, Freddy nodded. "Good!"

"See you, Freddy." Peebee hesitated for a moment before stretching up to kiss his cheek and leaving to begin making inquiries. She had a bot to track down. It was easier to focus on that instead of the not-so-subtle pull towards the man behind her. As she clattered down the stairs, she muttered, "Bitch stole my bot."

*

Kallo stalked down the corridor to the research area of the ship, ignoring Suvi's warning. He'd put up with Gil's modifications for too long. It was time to put him in his place. "You don't give a damn what my team and I went through to build this ship!"

"No, I don't." Gil retorted, glaring back at Kallo. "I care about us surviving out here, and if that means redesigning--"

Kallo cut him off, practically snarling, "You don't have the right!"

"Knock it off, both of you!" Alec yelled, looking every bit the stern, stoic Pathfinder they'd met all those months ago. Only now did Kallo realize how much Alec had relaxed around them.

Gil seemed taken aback for a moment before rallying, "Sure, once he gets off my back about how I work on the _Tempest_."

"You weren't here," Kallo reminded him, quietly and passionately. "We had to get all kinds of new tech working in a single starship. Fifty-hour shifts. Epiphanies. Accidents..." He paused, remembering Lucille and her construction rig, now welded into the hull of the _Tempest_. "Humans can forget. Salarians can't. To me, it's all still happening. My team is _here_!" He implored Gil and the others to understand. "Stripping down the _Tempest_ like some broken radio risks everything they suffered to build. Their legacy!"

Alec slowly nodded, his posture relaxing. "I can see how you feel that way."

"Seriously?" Gil, apparently, did not agree with Alec. He turned to Kallo, his voice intense. "Look, Kallo. Your people did a great job. But they're dead. And they couldn't have anticipated half the problems in Heleus. Like the Scourge. If we don't adapt, we'll die, too. Is that what you want their 'legacy' to be?"

Kallo shook his head. "Gutting a complex ship out in space isn't adapting! It's irresponsible! And... disrespectful!"

"The _Tempest_ has too many new systems doing new things to just adapt on the fly," Alec replied after thinking for several minutes. "Gil, from now on, I want you and Kallo to discuss any potential changes to the _Tempest_."

Kallo stared at Alec in shock. He wanted Gil to consult with _him_? Gil, apparently, was just as stunned. "What?! But, he's a pilot!"

"He's more than that, Gil," Alec answered sternly. "He knows the _Tempest_ 's specs and remembers everything his team went through to build her. You'd be surprised how valuable that kind of knowledge can be."

He glanced away, a little embarrassed by his display. A little hesitantly, Kallo offered, "I can tell you what worked and what didn't. Why we made the design choices that we did."

"I... yeah, that would-- that'd be nice," Gil looked down at the deck for a moment and cleared his throat. "Look, I--" he stopped and sighed. "I'm sorry that you feel I'm disrespecting your team's legacy. That's not my intention. They designed a beautiful ship. Which do you think they'd want for us: to keep the _Tempest_ exactly as they made her or to adapt her for this new galaxy?"

Kallo closed his eyes, picturing his team. Reluctantly, he admitted, "They'd want us to adapt the _Tempest_. They'd want us to live."

"Good." Alec looked and sounded pleased. "Gil, any changes you want to make, run them by Kallo first before you do anything. Kallo, try to keep an open mind and _listen_ when Gil explains why he wants to change things."

He nodded, relieved that he'd have input on what Gil wanted to do to the _Tempest_ in the future. That's what had bothered him the most. "Yes, Pathfinder."

"Yes, Pathfinder." Gil sighed, looking a little disgruntled. "I have some other ideas. You want me to send them to you?"

Kallo nodded again, accepting the olive branch for what it was. "Yes, thank you, Gil."

"No problem." Gil turned and headed back towards the drive core.

For his part, Kallo headed back towards the bridge, already planning an olive branch of his own.

*

Reyes was happy more for Freddy's sake than his own that Alec and Terry decided to stay on Kadara to spend time with him. They'd settled into a comfortable routine and it was worth the disruption to see the smile on Freddy's face as he led Alec and Terry into the home they'd made for themselves in the Badlands. Reyes raised his eyebrows when a strange young woman followed Terry into the house, looking uncomfortable yet curious. After they handed their weapons to Freddy for him to put in the weapons locker, Terry led the stranger over to Reyes. Smiling happily, she explained, "Reyes, I'd like you to meet Dr. Suvi Anwar, my girlfriend. Suvi, this is Reyes Vidal, Freddy's boyfriend."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Vidal," the redheaded woman replied in a faint Scottish accent with a shy smile, offering her hand to him.

He took her hand and kissed the back like men used to do very long ago on Earth. "It's a great honor and pleasure to meet you, Dr. Anwar."

"You may as well call me Suvi," she told him, blushing. "We're practically family, after all."

Reyes grinned and winked, pleased when her blush deepened. "Only if you call me Reyes."

"Deal." She smiled and glanced at Terry. "I see why Freddy likes him."

Freddy joined them, taking a moment to kiss Suvi's cheek before slipping his arm around Reyes' waist and kissing him softly. "Please explain your observations, Suvi."

"He's as much a flirt as you are," Suvi told him with a sly smile.

Terry and Reyes laughed while Freddy pouted. Alec joined them then. "I believe there's more to it than that, Suvi, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of it."

"If you're going to pick on me, I'll just go make dinner." Pretending to be hurt, Freddy stalked over to the little kitchen area and began gathering ingredients together for a meal.

Reyes gestured to the sitting area. "Please, everyone, have a seat."

"Freddy says things are fine," Alec told Reyes in a quiet voice while Terry and Suvi walked over to sit on the couch. "Is it true?"

Reyes nodded, surprised that Alec was asking _him_. He kept his voice just as quiet as Alec's. "Yes, for the most part. We have our share of trouble with the worst of the exiles, but nothing we can't handle."

"Good, good." Alec nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced towards the kitchen, but Freddy was busy cooking. Lowering his voice even more, he added, "Listen, life in the Milky Way got rough for the twins towards the end there, no thanks to me. I'm glad Freddy's found happiness here with you."

Raising his eyebrows, Reyes asked softly, "Is this a shovel talk? I already got one from Terry."

"No, I'm sure Freddy's capable of kicking your ass if you hurt him." Alec looked amused. "No, I just wanted to know if _you're_ happy, too."

He stared at Alec in surprise. That was the last thing he'd expected Alec or Terry to ask him. Glancing over at Freddy, who happened to look up and smile when he saw Reyes watching him, he told Alec, "Very much. Coming home to him at the end of a long, stressful day makes it all worthwhile in the end."

"Good." Alec lightly punched Reyes' shoulder and headed over to sit in the chair by Terry and Suvi, who'd been talking quietly.

Reyes followed him over and sat in the other chair. "So, Suvi, you're a doctor?"

"Not a medical doctor," Suvi replied, shifting so she could look at him properly. Terry kept her arm around Suvi's shoulders, her eyes on her girlfriend. "I do have doctorates in astrophysics and molecular biology, though."

Terry gently smoothed a lock of Suvi's hair out of her face. "She's brilliant."

"Terry..." Suvi ducked her head, blushing more than when Reyes had kissed her hand.

Freddy walked over, leaning on the back of the couch. "You're biased, Terry."

"Suvi _is_ brilliant," Alec interjected, looking both amused and sad. "She wouldn't have made the Nexus science team if she wasn't."

Reyes couldn't stop a laugh when Suvi buried her face in her hands. Taking pity on her, he suggested, "Perhaps we should change the subject before Suvi's blush becomes permanent?"

"Thanks, Reyes." She peeked at him from between her fingers.

He only grinned and winked in reply.

*

They found the _Natanus_ drifting above the remains of what should have been the new turian homeworld. Avitus met them aboard it, still certain that they'd find Macen. In the end, they only found the turian SAM, who couldn't communicate clearly at first. Their SAM explained the problem: "My counterpart is suffering from severe trauma. If I partition the damage, it may be able to speak with us."

"Be careful," Alec told him, sounding concerned. "I don't want to lose this SAM because we rushed for answers."

After a short, tense wait, the turian SAM finally addressed them, "Avitus Rix. Welcome home."

"SAM, Macen sent coordinates to this location," Avitus answered, his voice urgent even over their comms. "I need to find him."

Jaal was surprised by the turian SAM's reply, "You are mistaken. I sent the coordinates."

"Okay, this is getting weird," Vetra offered from where she stood by the door to SAM node. "Next you'll say you flew the _Natanus_ here."

The abstract image that represented the turians' SAM seemed to bob. "I did. The Pathfinder ordered me to help Avitus find the turians a home."

"Where's Macen?" Avitus demanded, his voice quiet and urgent.

SAM's reply was short and simple, "Gone."

"This thing's still busted." Avitus turned to Alec. "It doesn't know what it's talking about."

Alec started to reach out, but dropped his hand. "We should have access to Macen's logs. Maybe there's something in there."

"Avi." They turned back to SAM node as it began to play a recording. "Whatever we hit, a piece of it shredded my suit." Jaal didn't like the sound of Macen's voice. It was strained and weak. "Stings like hell, but spirits, it's beautiful." He coughed. "I need you to go on for the both of us. Don't let that temper get the better of you. SAM. Commence transfer."

The response from SAM came from the recording, "Yes, Pathfinder."

"Even the stars look brighter--" Macen's voice cut off.

Alec sighed heavily. "He died before the transfer was complete. That must be the source of SAM's trauma."

"Why bring me here?" Avitus demanded, sounding angry. Jaal supposed it was his way of dealing with the grief of losing his partner. "What was the point?"

SAM answered the question, calm and matter-of-fact, "To complete the transfer. The turians need a Pathfinder."

"I can't." Avitus shook his head, his entire posture slumping.

Alec took a step closer. "What do you mean you can't? You trained for it, which is more than Vederia, Hayjer, or Terry can say."

"I never thought I'd get the job," Avitus admitted quietly, his head bowed. "My whole career, I worked alone. I don't know how to lead people. I don't _want_ to lead people."

Alec poked Avitus' chest with one gloved finger. "When you agreed to become Macen's second, you accepted that you would one day take over the job."

"Avitus," Vetra stepped forward, drawing their attention. "You were protecting settlers on Havarl when we found you. If not for you, it'd have taken us a _lot_ longer to find the turian ark. You've already _been_ filling the role of Pathfinder. Just without the title."

Avitus shook his head again, though he seemed to be standing taller, like he had when they first met him. "A title that belongs to Macen."

"Which he wanted you to have," Jaal reminded him, keeping his voice gentle. "Rejecting it won't bring him back."

Another shake of Avitus's head. "What if I let him down?"

"You could only do that by walking away," Alec pointed out, reaching out to grip Avitus's shoulder, firm and grounding.

A long sigh and Avitus nodded. "Damn it. You're right."

"Shall I begin transfer?" SAM inquired politely.

Alec shook his head. "It'll be safer on the Nexus. I also want to examine this SAM's programming, see if we can minimize the trauma. A side effect of having sentient partners that I hadn't considered." He sounded rueful, reaching back to rub at the back of his neck and only encountering the seal for his helmet. His voice turned brisk and businesslike, "Suvi, call Tann. We need a shuttle to pick up the SAM node. Tell him we found the turian Pathfinder."

"Yes, Pathfinder," Suvi acknowledged promptly as they filed out of the SAM node and headed to where they'd docked their ships.

As he followed Alec and Avitus, Jaal wondered if they should say or do anything for Avitus. He'd clearly lost his taoshay, but they were strangers to him, except for Alec. In the end, it was a silent walk back to the docking bay and they boarded their respective ships in silence. Terry waited for them in the cargo bay and barely let her father remove his helmet before hugging him tight. He hugged her back, pressing his forehead to hers for a moment. "I'm fine. I'm not the one who just lost his partner."

"It still must have brought back memories," Terry replied, quiet and somber.

Alec sighed and nodded. "It did, I won't lie."

"Do you think Avitus will be all right?" Jaal wondered as he joined them.

Vetra walked over, too. "Maybe? He'll have something to focus on."

"You don't truly 'get over' losing a partner," Alec told them, straightening up. "You just learn to keep going."

Over the comms, Kallo reported, "Pathfinder, we've landed on the mass containing the navpoint Vetra's sister gave us."

"I'm going with you for this one," Terry told her father firmly. "We have no idea _what_ we'll find down there."

Alec nodded. "You're right. Jaal, are you game for more or should I ask someone else?"

"I'm 'game', whatever that means," he replied, amused by yet another human idiom.

Suvi reported via their comms as they put their helmets back on, "Cosmic radiation is off the charts. You'll need to stay in the Nomad."

"What good are these fancy suits if they don't block radiation?" Terry asked, double-checking her weapons.

Jaal's smile at Terry's question faded when Suvi replied, "In normal situations, they do. But this planet's magnetic field was disrupted when it cracked open. No protection from cosmic rays tearing you apart at the molecular level."

"So, stick to the Nomad, got it." Alec sounded a little disturbed as he used his omni-tool to unlock the Nomad, which waited for them.

Once the others vacated the cargo bay, Gil hit the release button so Alec could drive the Nomad out onto the surface. He brought up the navpoint from Vetra's sister and they set off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since they were on Kadara anyway, I thought it'd be nice to have Alec and Terry visit with Freddy and Reyes and why not bring Suvi along, too?


	13. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pathfinder makes it to Meridian, only to realize that it's _not_ Meridian. Great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The complications aren't _just_ regarding Meridian.

"Are you all right, are you hurt?" Vetra practically demanded of Sid once they'd finished taking out Meriweather and her people.

Sid nodded, looking more than a little shell-shocked. "I... I think I'm okay."

"Help's on the way," Galloway told them over their comms. "We're all good, thanks to you."

Vetra sighed and just _looked_ at Sid. Her sister shrank back, defensive, and sat down on the platform next to a crate. "I didn't mean for any of this. I'm sorry, okay?"

"You can't just mess around with people from Kadara," Vetra told her, walking over to crouch beside Sid. "They're dangerous."

Sid hung her head. "I just... these guys wanted to start over, to not be exiles anymore." She peered up at Vetra hopefully. "No one else was giving them a chance, so I thought... I can do that. I can help."

"These are good people who made bad choices," Alec pointed out, walking over to join them. "Your sister did the right thing."

Vetra glared up at him for a moment. "She still should have talked to me!" Calming herself down with effort, she turned back to her sister, "I don't want you hurt. There are ugly sides to what I do, and you shouldn't have to deal with them."

"You started out when you were my age," Sid reminded her, looking hopeful again. "And you managed okay."

Exasperated, Vetra reminded her, "That wasn't by choice! You saw what we did here. This isn't all fun and games, Sid."

"Yeah, I was shocked at first, but I understand now." Sid looked determined now. "And I can handle it!"

The last thing she wanted was Sid doing the same things she had, "I don't want you to have to!"

"Whatever." Sid got to her feet and stalked towards the shuttle. "I'm going back to the Nexus, like you wanted."

Alec stood beside Vetra, watching Sid. "That was intense. Are you all right?"

"Fine. I just need some time to think." Vetra sighed softly, her emotions too jumbled up for her to process at the moment. "Hey, at least the settlers are safe. Thanks for helping me out with this, Alec. Can we just get moving now?"

He nodded and clasped her arm for a moment. "I hear you."

They returned to the entrance of the complex, where they'd left the Nomad, and drove back to the _Tempest_ in silence.

*

Alec found Vetra pacing in the armory as they headed to the Nexus. She complained about Sid getting the genome for cats pulled out of storage even though they weren't practical. "She just doesn't think. Tries to help everyone, damn the consequences. And she thinks what we do is so exciting, but doesn't really understand what it takes."

"How can she when you keep trying to shield her from your work?" Alec asked, glad she gave him the opening he needed.

Vetra's anger faded and she sighed. Softly, she admitted, "I just... didn't want her to grow up before she had to like I did."

"She's shown she's ready, trust that," Alec told her gently, feeling more like he was talking to a fellow parent, but that's what Vetra had been to Sid. "You can't protect her forever."

Mandibles flaring with worry, Vetra asked, "What if she gets herself into another mess? What if she gets hurt?"

"It's not just the two of you anymore," Alec reminded her calmly. "You have the rest of the Pathfinder team to back you up."

Vetra nodded, standing straighter. "You're right. She's going to go her own way, no matter what I do. If she does it without my help-- or yours-- she'll run into even worse trouble."

"I've heard you talking to Drack about Sid," Alec added, deciding to offer a little more advice. "My situation with the twins was different, but the more you try to control Sid, the more she'll push back. Let her try things on her own and be ready to catch her if she falls."

She gave him a considering look. "Is that what happened with the twins?"

"No, I said something very stupid at the worst possible moment," he admitted after checking to ensure no one else was nearby. "I missed out on watching Terry become the woman she is because of it. I don't want you to miss that with Sid."

For a long moment, she remained quiet, thinking that over. "I... thank you, Alec. I'll keep your advice in mind."

"Good."

*

"There's no guarantee this will work, is there?" Terry asked Alec quietly as they left their meeting with the other Pathfinders.

Alec shook his head. "No, but we don't have much of a choice."

"Pathfinder Ryder!" Terry reacted more to the fact that it was Sid calling them than the title. The teenager appeared more upbeat now than she had in Meriweather's base. "I wanted to say thanks for saving my carapace."

Alec smiled, offering his hand to Sid. "Of course. Someone was in trouble, we _had_ to help."

"That's why you're such a great Pathfinder," Sid shook his hand with enthusiasm. Glancing around, she leaned in and quietly asked, "Can I ask for your help with something?"

Terry and Alec glanced at each other and moved closer. "What is it?"

"I found something while monitoring comms for the Nexus," she told them quietly, her voice serious. "Multiple attacks by people called 'the Three Sabers.' They're hitting outposts and supply vessels. The really weird part is they seem aware of our operations. Like they're getting intel."

Alec frowned and Terry asked, "What are you saying? That someone's feeding them info?"

"Maybe?" Sid shrugged, her mandibles twitching with worry. "It would be really bad if that were true, right? I've reported it and they say they'll investigate, but then forget." She looked between them earnestly. "But you're the Pathfinders. If someone's betraying the Nexus, you have to do something about it."

Alec glanced at Terry, who nodded firmly. He nodded back, "If they seem to know our operations, that could spell trouble. Best to get to the bottom of it."

"Thank you!" Sid seemed to light up. "I knew I could count on you two. Best. Pathfinders. Ever. I don't know where they hide, but I got the navpoints for their most recent raids. Maybe the _Tempest_ scanners can figure out where they went?"

She tapped her omni-tool and both Alec and Terry checked to ensure they received the navpoints. "We'll get on this as soon as we can."

"Thank you for having Vetra's back while you're out there, too," Sid told them, looking serious for a moment. "Knowing you're there for her so she can be there for me means a lot."

Smiling, Terry told her, "Of course we do. She's part of Team Pathfinder."

"Best. Pathfinders. Ever," Sid repeated. "I won't keep you any longer."

She walked off and they continued to the tram. Terry sighed once they sent it towards the docks. "This is the _last_ thing we need right now, Dad."

"It _should_ have been investigated," Alec agreed with a nod. "I almost don't _want_ to know."

She bumped his shoulder with hers. "We told Sid we'd check. Besides, they need to be stopped, regardless of where or how they got their information."

"Yes, they do." As the tram came to a stop, they straightened up. "At least we finally got Spender off the Nexus."

Terry nodded with a chuckle. He'd deserved every moment they'd made him squirm while they laid out _exactly_ what he'd been doing right under Addison's nose. "Now Kesh can do her job properly and get the Nexus built."

"And Freddy shouldn't have a problem the next time he has to come get supplies for Ditaeon," Alec added with a smile.

Smiling, Terry walked with Alec to the dock where the _Tempest_ waited. She was nervous about going to Meridian without the Nexus leaders' support, but they were right and they were going to _prove_ it to them.

*

After finishing the vidcall to Tann, Alec headed down the ramp to the tech lab. As he'd expected, he found Jaal there, sitting and doing nothing for once. After the door slid closed behind him, Jaal said, "Hello, Alec. Have you come to see if I'm finally broken?" While Alec moved closer, Jaal turned to face him. He was surprisingly still and calm. "To see what discovering that my people were 'invented' has done to me?"

"Just here if you need to talk," he replied quietly, leaning against a nearby workstation. "I can't imagine what you're feeling."

A faint, wry smile twitched at Jaal's mouth as he faced Alec fully. "I've been staring out the window trying to figure that out."

"That's new." Alec chuckled softly at the thought of any angara unable to figure out their emotions.

Chuckling with Alec, Jaal agreed, "True. Angara are usually very free with our feelings."

"I'm not talking about _all_ angara--" Alec told him gently. "I'm talking about _you_."

After a short, thoughtful silence, Jaal slowly said, "I'm... numb. I'm in awe." He turned to look out the window once again. "There's a peace in knowing that, though the universe is beyond your understanding, it doesn't _need_ your understanding to function." He looked back at Alec. "That you may even have a hidden destiny."

"Does it matter?" Alec wondered, joining Jaal at the window. "Your people aren't shackled to this new discovery."

Jaal nodded, looking happier and prouder now. "I agree. We don't owe _anything_ to the Jardaan. Our destiny is our own." A broad smile spread across Jaal's face now. "I'm not broken, Alec. I'm excited!" His words seemed to tumble out now. "The angara were created for a purpose. We were given vaults and golden worlds--all these advanced tools. And there is _nothing_ the kett can do about it." There was an edge to Jaal's satisfied smile that Alec hadn't seen before. "The future holds more for the angara than a never-ending war on the kett. Much more."

"For the angara-- hell, for all of us-- these are amazing, crazy days," Alec point out, bumping Jaal's shoulder with his own.

Jaal bumped Alec's shoulder back, grinning. "Really crazy. Really amazing." He gave a firm nod. "It doesn't matter if we were created by a god, reborn from our ancestors, or exist as the dream of an AI superpower. This discovery changes nothing-- except ourselves. And that's..."

"Everything." Alec suggested when Jaal hesitated, as if searching for the right word.

Jaal nodded again. "Yes." He studied Alec for several moments. "Thank you, Alec. It helped to talk things over with someone."

"Glad to help." Alec smiled faintly. "Sometimes, that's all we need."

Punching Alec's shoulder, Jaal told him, "If _you_ ever need to talk, I'm willing to listen."

"Thank you, but I'm fine for now." Alec punched his shoulder in return. As comfortable as he'd grown with this ship of oddballs, he couldn't quite bring himself to confide in anyone. Part of it was because he felt guilty at the thought of confiding in someone else before talking to either of his children. They knew him best of anyone awake in Andromeda besides Harry.

Before he could say anything, Suvi contacted him over the comms, "Alec, if you're free, I'd like to talk with you on the bridge. I may have a way to find Meridian."

"I'll be right there, Suvi," Alec replied, amused by the excitement he heard in her voice. He nodded to Jaal and left the tech lab for the bridge.

*

Suvi and Terry turned when Alec entered the bridge. "Hey, Dad. How's Jaal doing?"

"Better than I expected," Alec replied, moving to stand on Suvi's other side. "Now, what's the plan you came up with?"

Nodding, Suvi pressed a few buttons on her console to bring up an image of Meridian, caught by SAM. "Meridian. Set on a path by its creators...disrupted by the Scourge... now lost. An unmanned ship is at the mercy of ocean currents. Now, think of Meridian as the ship, and the Scourge as the ocean... If we can somehow predict the currents and track them, we could figure out where the ocean's taken the ship."

"That's genius! The Scourge is the sea, moving objects around..." Alec mused as Terry lightly rubbed Suvi's shoulders, encouraging her. She'd been hesitant to suggest her idea to Alec herself and had wanted Terry to tell him instead. In her turn, Terry insisted that Suvi tell him because it was _her_ idea.

Suvi blushed, a pleased smile curving her lips. "It's not a precise analogy, of course, but it illustrates the point."

"SAM agrees that this may be our best chance at finding Meridian," Terry interjected now, resting a hand on Suvi's shoulder. She knew SAM's support would mean a lot to her father. "The more we know about the Scourge, the better we can predict how it affects the objects it comes in contact with."

Suvi pressed a few more buttons on the console, reaching up to clasp Terry's hand for a moment. "We'll need better data: probes for the Scourge, angaran star charts…"

"The Initiative made charts of Heleus from the Milky Way, 600 years back," Alec reminded them. Terry remembered the way he'd plastered copies of them on his office walls back in the Milky Way. "Perfect baseline."

Nodding, Suvi didn't look up, intent on her work. Terry couldn't take her eyes off her, admiring her intelligence and focus all over again. "I can compare that to Heleus at present. It'll give us numbers, but one set won't be enough."

"SAM, what exactly do we need right now?" Alec asked, reminding Terry of his presence.

The reply came with barely a hesitation. "Readings from within the Scourge itself, collected by probes planted at key points. Once enough data is collected, we'll need Initiative resources for mining and analysis. Once that is done, I can build a predictive model that will re-calculate Meridian's path."

"Well, it sounds like a good plan." Alec met Terry's eyes and nodded. She thought for sure her heart would burst with pride for Suvi. "I guess we won't know for sure unless we give it a shot. Everyone's counting on us. Let's bring them home."

Moving around Suvi's chair, Terry hugged him tight. "Thanks, Dad."

"Always, Terry." He hugged her back, nudging her forehead with his.

She returned the nudge and stepped back so he could move to the center console.

*

Suvi watched as Peebee used a mass effect field to transport her observer friend into her 'room'. She perked up when Alec and Terry followed Peebee onto the bridge, both still in most of their armor. "Pathfinder! I detected the last ZK Tracker we need."

"Thank god." Alec looked relieved, stripping off his gloves while he hurried to take his place at the center console. "We need to find Dr. Kennedy before the Roekaar."

Terry took his gloves and moved to stand by Suvi's chair as they flew the _Tempest_ to the tracker to get a better scan of it. From the other side of the bridge, Kallo commented, "Erratic. It's drifting. And I'm getting kett drive wash."

"Now the kett are involved?" Terry asked, sounding angry. "Damn it!"

While Suvi reached up to squeeze her hand, understanding why she was so upset, Alec ordered, "Get close."

"Kallo was right," Suvi reported, studying the data they received not only from the tracker, but also the space around it. "Signs of kett. But I'm getting data." She reluctantly released Terry's hand so she could do calculations now that she had enough data. "The four trackers give us a point of origin... on Voeld!"

Across the bridge, Kallo shook his head. "That planet has no shortage of leftover kett."

"We don't want a baby near exaltation," Alec countered, gripping his console tightly. "Or Roekaar. We have to find them on Voeld. Set a course."

Kallo nodded, "Yes, Pathfinder."

"Shit," Terry muttered as Suvi helped Kallo plot the quickest, most direct course to Voeld. "It's been right around four weeks since we talked to them."

Once the _Tempest_ was underway, Terry moved to her father's side, gripping his arm. He covered her hand with his and lightly tapped their foreheads together. "We'll make sure the Roekaar and the kett don't get them, Terry."

"And that their baby has the best chance of surviving," Terry agreed.

Alec nodded, closing his eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath. "Come on, we both need rest before we reach Voeld."

*

Jaal fought hard to keep both the Roekaar and the kett from reaching the shuttle where Dr. Kennedy was giving birth to the first human baby in Andromeda. Alec, Terry, and Drack fought just as hard. Alec even reprogrammed the turrets so they'd target both the Roekaar and the kett. Eventually, it must have been too much, because the shuttle's engines started up while they were still fighting. "They're too close. I'm taking off."

"Wait until you're clear!" Alec called back, even as he focused on killing the last of the kett.

The shuttle lifted off. "There's no time!"

"Everyone's dead," Drack reported.

Terry stopped beside her father. "Are you clear, Doctor?"

"What about it, Zoe?" Alec added, taking Terry's hand as Drack and Jaal walked over to stand with them.

At first, all they heard over their comms was crying. Jaal glanced at the others, uncertain as to what that meant. Alec and Terry were hugging tightly and Drack slapped Jaal on the back, grinning. Dr. Kennedy, sounding relieved and exhausted, said, "We're safe. He's safe."

"Get clear, Zoe, but we have to wrap this up with Addison," Alec told her, sounding just as relieved.

She sounded happy when she replied this time, "Understood, Pathfinder."

"The crying was a good sign?" Jaal asked while they sat in the Nomad, waiting for the _Tempest_.

Terry nodded, twisting in her seat to face him. "Yeah, it meant his lungs at least were healthy and fully developed."

"Knowing Zoe, she would have made sure she could tell if anything was wrong with him," Alec added, shifting to peer at them from the front seat.

Jaal looked between father and daughter. "You both seemed very worried about her, even before we learned about the Roekaar and the kett."

"Yeah." Alec turned to peer out the windshield.

Terry sighed and explained quietly, "Pregnancy and birth aren't easy on human mothers. Especially if they have a smaller build."

"Like Suvi," Jaal mused, thinking of what he'd read about human pregnancies. "Would it be easier for you, since you're taller?"

Terry stared at him for a moment, startled, and then nodded. "Yeah, it would."

"The _Tempest_ is almost here," Alec announced. "Buckle up."

Alec barely let the _Tempest_ land before driving the Nomad up the ramp and to its spot in the cargo area. Jaal could feel the ship tilting and turning as the hatch closed, already taking them up into orbit. He helped secure the Nomad to the deck and turned in time to see Terry greet Suvi with a kiss. Not a light peck like he'd seen them share before, but deeper and hungrier. As he watched, curious, Suvi gripped Terry's armor with both hands as she responded to the kiss. After a few moments, Alec loudly cleared his throat. They parted and, blushing profusely, Suvi buried her face in Terry's neck. Terry glanced at her father, "Yes, Dad?"

"If you're going to get carried away like that, Terry, I suggest you get a room," Alec told her, looking amused rather than stern.

Laughing, Terry whispered something to Suvi and the two women hurried down the corridor to the Pathfinders' quarters. Jaal headed to the tech room, needing a few moments to write down his observations and thoughts about what had just transpired.

*

Once the door to her quarters shut behind them, Terry kissed Suvi again, not as hungry as before, but still passionate. When they parted to catch their breath, she said, "Sorry if I embarrassed you out there."

"You don't need to apologize, Terry," Suvi told her, beginning to help her out of her armor. "I _am_ curious as to why you got carried away, though."

Terry set her weapons on the nearby table, ready to break them down and check that they were still in working order. "This whole mess with Dr. Kennedy just got me thinking about babies and being a parent."

"Oh." Suvi's blush returned as she helped Terry out of her chest armor.

As she turned to set it aside, Terry gently caught her arm. "Suvi? Do you _want_ children?"

"I-- well, yes, I've always wanted to have a large family," she admitted, looking up to meet Terry's eyes directly. "What about you?"

Dropping her hand, Terry pulled her gloves off and tossed them on the table with the rest of her gear. "Yeah, I do want kids."

"I'm sensing a 'but' in there," Suvi gently prodded, even as she helped Terry with the rest of her armor. "What's wrong?"

Sighing, Terry said, "I'm worried I won't be a good parent. You've met Dad."

"He cares about you and Freddy," Suvi reminded her, cupping her cheek and gently turning her face back towards her. "And I haven't met your mom, but it sounds like you two adored her. I think you'd be a great mother."

Now that she was down to her jumpsuit, Terry pulled Suvi close, pressing their foreheads together. "Except I can't actually _be_ a mother. Not in a biological sense, anyway."

"I-- you-- what?" Suvi's blue eyes widened as she realized what Terry meant and exactly what she felt pressing against her belly. "Oh! You didn't--"

Terry shook her head, relieved that Suvi hadn't pulled away like more than one person had. "No, I was saving up for it when Mom got sick. Freddy and I both poured our savings into helping her and Dad as much as we could. Then we came to Andromeda and there hasn't been time."

"I don't care what's in your pants, Terry," Suvi told her firmly, cupping Terry's other cheek with her other hand. "You're a wonderful, amazing woman and I'm so glad that we're a match."

She smiled, pressing her forehead to Suvi's. "I'm very glad we're a match, too, Suvi. You're just as wonderful and amazing in your own way, you know."

"Flatterer," Suvi giggled, sliding her arms around Terry's neck.

Terry shook her head slightly, her arms warm around Suvi's waist. "Truth."

"Truth is relative," Suvi countered with a smile.

Before Terry could think of a reply, Suvi stretched up to kiss her, deep and hungry. She responded eagerly, tightening her arms around her. Just as she began to consider taking things further, Alec's voice came over the comms, "Suvi to the bridge, please."

"Dammit," Terry groaned against Suvi's lips. Silently, she asked SAM if Suvi _really_ needed to go to the bridge.

He responded via their private channel, _"Unfortunately, yes, Terry. We're leaving orbit."_

"Fine." Reluctantly, Terry let Suvi go, resigning herself to another cold shower. "We'll continue this another time."

Suvi nodded, taking several deep breaths. "Yes, of course."

After she left, Terry took a few moments to compose herself before grabbing her toiletries and a change of clothes. _Might as well get it over with._

*

Peebee looked up when the doors opened to admit Alec, who looked stern, but not as stern as she'd expected. "Hey, Peebee."

"Hey, Alec." A little hesitantly, she asked, "Did she deliver?"

Alec nodded, leaning back against the workstation next to her, his voice calm. "We just received a massive shipment of Remnant tech, quite valuable." He held up the datapad he'd brought with him. "And this."

"Pelessaria, with my compliments," she read the letter on the datapad. "My crew won't bother you again. In your debt. Always, Kalinda."

Giving a thoughtful hum as he folded his arms across his chest, Alec remarked, "So she made good on her promise. She still doesn't strike me as someone to trust."

"Being a fingertip away from death _can_ change a person," Peebee told him, feeling compelled to defend her former lover, one last time. She shrugged. "Still, it's probably best if we scan everything she sent over."

Alec nodded, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "Better safe than sorry."

"I just wish we could have had that device." Peebee didn't regret saving Kalinda, but she couldn't help wishing that there'd been a way to save the device as well. "The scan data does provide a glimpse into how Remnant acquire programming, though."

He nodded again. "I'll make sure you have access to the scans I made."

"Thanks." Peebee smiled weakly. "So we missed out on a key to unlocking secrets of the tech, but maybe we came away with a glass to listen at the door."

Chuckling, Alec walked over to the closed hatch for the escape pod. "We _do_ have a little bookkeeping matter to discuss."

"Ah, nuts." Peebee had kind of hoped that he would forget about it, but wasn't surprised that he'd remembered. "Yeah, the _Tempest_ is light one escape pod. That's gonna cost me, isn't it?"

Rapping on the closed hatch with his knuckles, Alec told her, "Next time we dock at Nexus, you buy a new one. If you don't have the funds, you work it off over time. Got it?"

"Hey, I'm the one out a bedroom," Peebee reminded him. "What do we do about _that_?"

Smirking, he shrugged. "There's a bunk free in the crew quarters now that Freddy's on Kadara."

"I'll keep that in mind," Peebee replied, feeling a pang at the thought of Freddy. She didn't begrudge him his relationship with Reyes, but the pull she felt towards him persisted and she wasn't sure what to do about it.

Alec tapped her shoulder with his closed fist. "Also, no more ambushes like that. I get why you did it and everything worked out in the end, but life is uncertain enough as it is. We don't need to add to it, all right?"

"Yeah, yeah." Peebee nodded this time. He'd been angry when they first landed on the planet's surface, but everything else since then had helped it cool. "Sorry about that, Alec."

"Apology accepted." With that, Alec left her little workspace.

Peebee looked around at the mess and grimaced. She'd at least had the forethought to ensure her things weren't _in_ the escape pod before she'd ambushed Alec and Drack, but now they were all over the place. _Now what?_

*

"Right, so we found artifacts on Kadara, Voeld, _and_ Elaaden," Terry told Avela, setting the crate they'd used to transport them on a nearby table.

Avela peered into it over Terry's shoulder. "I _knew_ there were more out there."

"Terry even asked her brother to keep an eye out on Kadara," Suvi explained from Terry's other side, looking proud.

Very glad that her dark coloring hid her blush, Terry pulled out the first item. "This, in fact, is what Freddy found on Kadara."

"Sun above..." Avela breathed, carefully taking the artifact from her. "It's an ancient rivaan. A musical instrument, it uses an angara's body energy to produce music. We have them now, but nothing this beautiful."

Suvi rested her cheek against Terry's shoulder. "Do you play?"

"We'd love to hear music, either from you or someone else," Terry couldn't resist adding, finding Suvi's hand with hers and squeezing gently.

Avela shook her head. "I don't play and the songs this instrument played were probably lost long ago." She looked sad for a moment, gazing down at the instrument in her hands. "How much culture have we forgotten? Art, music, stories..."

"You're preserving what you can," Suvi reminded her, moving closer so she could rest a hand on Avela's arm. "And your people are creating more every day."

Clearing her throat, Terry pulled out the next item. "To help with that, we found this figure on Voeld. We thought it might be angaran."

"This... this is unfamiliar to me," Avela murmured, taking the figure and examining it carefully. "It _does_ resemble an angara, but... it looks so strange. It's _clearly_ centuries old."

A little bashfully, Suvi told her, "There were artifacts on our homeworld back in the Milky Way that bore only a passing resemblance to the human form. Perhaps the case is similar here?"

"Yeah, I'm sure the archeologists who originally found them were just as confused." Terry couldn't resist kissing Suvi's cheek.

Avela nodded thoughtfully. "You may be right. It _could_ be artistic interpretation or it could be what we _really_ looked like. The implications..." She looked at them with shining eyes and Terry felt her heart skip a beat. "Terry, you may have discovered our earliest artifact yet."

"The thought sends shivers down my spine," Suvi murmured, her eyes shining with wonder.

Ignoring the way her heartbeat sped up, Terry removed the last item from the crate and presented it to Avela. "We found this on Elaaden. It's a data storage device of some kind, but we're not sure what kind of data it could contain."

"How in the skies did you find an angaran star map?" Avela asked, taking the device with reverent hands. She examined it carefully. "One that still works, even. It must be pre-Scourge. If we analyze it, we can learn where our people traveled before the dark age."

Suvi looked puzzled. "Aren't star maps usually bigger?"

"That's been my experience, yes," Terry agreed, looking curiously at Avela.

Chuckling, she explained, "An angaran star map isn't used for navigation. It acts as a log of where its owner traveled. This one's data is locked, but Elihn can decrypt it for me."

"Oh, it's a journal of sorts," Suvi murmured, looking delighted.

Terry wrapped her arm around Suvi's shoulders and squeezed gently. "Do you know much about where your ancestors traveled?"

"No, not at all." Avela shook her head, looking sad again. "The Scourge wiped out nearly everything. We're only just beginning to travel again."

Suvi slipped her arm around Terry's waist and asked, "Could they have made it to another galaxy, like us?"

"Away from the kett and the Scourge," Terry added thoughtfully, thinking of the two biggest problems in Andromeda.

Avela nodded, looking hopeful. "It's possible. For all we know, there are entire angaran worlds beyond our reach." She looked down at star map, and then at the rivaan and the figure. "You've given me more to study than I ever expected. I've got a lot of work ahead."

"I don't mean to be rude," Suvi began after a short silence. "But every time we've visited, there's been this... hum. It's just on the edge of my hearing and--"

Terry frowned at Suvi, surprised by her observation. She'd noticed it herself, but hadn't connected it to Avela or anything in particular. "Are you sure it's not just because we're on Aya?"

"It's not because of Aya," Avela replied, looking nervous. "It's because of me. I don't know how it is for humans, but when angara meet a potential match, our body energy 'hums' in their presence, as Suvi noticed."

Suvi stared at Avela with wide eyes and Terry felt her grip on her tank top tighten. "Oh!"

"I suppose the next question would be who your energy is reacting to: me or Suvi?" Terry asked gently, rubbing Suvi's shoulder comfortingly.

Glancing between the two of them, Avela shrugged helplessly. "I can't say. Not anymore. I like you both. Gorgeous explorers from beyond the stars who've done all you can to help me recover just a small portion of my people's history--how could I _not_ be attracted?"

"Wait, _both_ of us?" Suvi asked, blue eyes wide with surprise.

Terry's first instinct was to say no, but the memory of her parents and Harry stopped her. "I'm very flattered, Avela." She remembered something else and silently asked SAM if anyone was nearby. He informed her via their private channel that no one else was nearby. Nodding slightly, she added, "Before we can discuss this further, you need to know something about me that may affect how you feel."

"I can't imagine what _could_ change my feelings," Avela replied, looking curious and hopeful.

Suvi looked up at Terry curiously. "Are you sure, Terry?"

"I'm sure, Suvi." Taking a deep breath, Terry told Avela, "I'm what my people call transgender. I was assigned male at birth, like my twin, but I'm-- shit, I don't know how to explain it."

Avela smiled gently, reaching out to touch Terry's arm. "The translation was a little garbled, I think, but we have people like that, too. I don't care. I'm not attracted to your biological gender. I'm attracted to _you_ , Terry Ryder."

"That's exactly how I feel," Suvi confided, wrapping her other arm around Terry.

Blinking back tears, Terry sought and found Avela's hand, squeezing it firmly. "Thank you, both of you."

"Thank _you_ ," Avela returned the squeeze. "I won't presume, but angara often have multiple matches. I don't know how it is with humans."

Glancing up at Terry, Suvi told her, "Culturally, we've been monogamous, but that was back in the Milky Way."

"There are exceptions to every rule," Terry added, unwilling to explain more without consulting her father and godfather. "Let Suvi and I have time to talk about this privately and we'll hopefully have an answer when we next see you."

Avela nodded, releasing Terry's hand so she could hold up her arm. After a moment, Terry held up her arm next to Avela's. When she dropped her arm, Suvi echoed the gesture. "Thank you for even considering it."

"We won't leave you hanging for long," Suvi assured her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regarding Terry needing bottom surgery: it's not me trying to be 'kinky', that's just where she's at in terms of transitioning. Every trans person's experience is different and this is Terry's.


	14. All About Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the time to strengthen the bonds between friends and family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a slight hint at sex, though I tried to be tasteful. That's not the point of this fic. *hides her smut notebook*

_Freddy-_

_We finally made it back to Aya and gave Avela the instrument your people found. As well as a figure we found on Voeld and a star map from Elaaden. She says thank you very much for the instrument. If you find anything else interesting, send it along to her. I sent similar instructions to the other outposts. The angara have lost so much to the Scourge and the kett. Anything we can return to them, right?_

_Speaking of the kett, there are a few angara alive who **remember** when they arrived. Dad and Drack talked to some of them. When Dad told me the stories they shared, it reminded me of when I studied the period of colonization in Earth history. It's like Jaal told us: they didn't come openly as conquerors. Plus, I don't think the angara really **had** a military. Not the sort that could have contested the kett. The only way the Initiative can prove that we're different from the kett is to continue our policy of honesty and cooperation._

_How are things with you and Reyes? You two certainly seemed happy when Dad, Suvi, and I visited. I know I'm **very** happy with Suvi. We haven't gone 'all the way'-- god, it feels stupid to write that-- but not for lack of desire. We haven't had the time or privacy, really. She knows now that I still need bottom surgery, but that didn't bother her. I'm pretty sure I love her, Freddy. Now, to just get up the nerve to tell **her** that._

_I love **you** , too, drama king. Dad, too, despite everything that's happened between us. I think he intended to apologize to me, but Peebee interrupted him before he could get the words out. It would have been very nice to hear them after all this time. Andromeda's been good for all of us after all._

_Something else that came up: Avela is apparently attracted to both me **and** Suvi. My first impulse was to turn her down, but then I remembered Mom, Dad, and Uncle Harry. If we decide to pursue this, she needed to know that I'm trans and she was fine with it. Said there are even angara who are trans, too. So, that's something else for Suvi and I to discuss. After I talk to Dad and Uncle Harry. Maybe you, Reyes, and Peebee should consider something similar. She misses you, I think. Something to consider. See you soon._

_All my love,  
Terry  
_

*

"Alain Nigh?" He looked up from his work and frowned at the woman who'd addressed him. The same height as him, she had dark skin and black hair. Something about her was familiar, but he was sure he'd have remembered meeting her.

Shifting slightly, conscious of the braces on his legs, he faced her fully. "I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

"In a way." She smiled wryly and offered her hand. "Terry Ryder, Alec Ryder's daughter."

He relaxed slightly now that he knew who she was and shook her hand with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Miss Ryder."

"Terry's fine." She smiled faintly in reply. She rubbed the back of her neck for a moment, and then said, "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing here?"

Alain kept his voice neutral, not sure of her reaction to his explanation, "Supervised work release as a programmer. Making up for what my mother did, trying to stop AI." Terry grimaced and he hastened to explain, hoping if he told enough people that it would help. "I swear, she said she'd only disable the blue box computers in storage. No one was meant to get hurt."

"Has Nigh been sentenced?" Terry asked in response, her voice as neutral as his.

He shook his head, worried. "Not yet. I spoke up for her, but I don't think anyone else will." He shrugged. "Maybe being a good citizen will help her."

"We'll keep an eye on him, Ryder," Lucan assured Terry from where he stood at nearby workstation. "It'll be fine."

Terry nodded slightly and turned her attention back to Alain. "Will your opinions on artificial intelligence be a problem?"

"Look, I'll never think Pathfinder implants are a good idea." After all the lies his mother had told, he knew honesty was best. "So I'll be a watchdog. Make SAM absolutely hack-proof."

She took a step closer, her expression intent. "I respect your opinion Alain, but remember that SAM is the reason you don't have to sit and sync your implants. He's also the reason I'm still alive and able to stop your mother."

"I'll keep that in mind," Alain replied, a little unsettled by her intensity.

Alec stepped up beside Terry, gently taking her arm. "That's enough, Terry."

"Right, sorry." Terry relaxed and stepped back, turning to Alec. "Where's Harry?"

Raising an eyebrow, Alec told her, "He's waiting with Suvi to speak with you."

"We should go find them now." She tapped Alec's shoulder with her fist, and then left.

Alec turned back to Alain. "Sorry about Terry. She's protective of SAM because of what he's managed to do for the Initiative."

"As long as she respects my opinion, I'll respect hers," he replied, standing as straight as he could. "Sir, no one's spoken for Mother except me. Could you say something?"

The Pathfinder sighed deeply. "She could have done a lot of damage, Alain. How about I talk to her and see how she's doing?"

"Thank you, Pathfinder." It was enough that Alec was willing to be reasonable. "She's all I have right now."

Alec nodded, a wry twist to his mouth. "I understand, Alain. Take care."

"You, too, sir."

*

"Thanks for coming, Uncle Harry," Terry greeted him with a hug, which he returned with some surprise. They weren't alone: a young human woman in a sciences tunic sat at one of the workstations several feet away, focused on whatever she was doing.

He smiled, relaxing in his chair. "I'm always glad to speak with you, Terry."

"What's on your mind?" Alec added, joining them the next moment.

Terry paced for a few moments, and then stopped and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "The thing is, I've met my match and we fit."

"You've mentioned her," Harry remarked, remembering their conversations about this Suvi. "Where is she?"

Alec tapped Harry's shoulder, and then pointed to the young woman at the workstation. She hadn't once looked up. "That's Dr. Suvi Anwar, our Science Officer on the _Tempest_."

"And my girlfriend." Terry stopped and watched Suvi for several moments.

Harry looked between her and Terry for several moments. He couldn't picture it, but he didn't know much about Suvi anyway. "You didn't ask to see us to tell us this."

"Has something happened between you two?" Alec asked, looking worried.

Terry shook her head quickly. "No, it's not that. I-- we-- shit," Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We've met someone else that we both like and she likes us."

"This sounds _very_ familiar." Harry glanced at Alec, and then over at Suvi, who'd remained focused on her work. "Um..."

Alec laughed softly. "Suvi's too focused on her work right now to notice us. She probably hasn't realized that she's not alone anymore."

"Yeah, pretty much." Terry looked at Suvi for several moments. "She's brilliant."

Harry chuckled. "So, why are you bringing this situation up?"

"You and Suvi haven't decided what you're going to do about this surprise third, have you?" Alec asked gently.

Another shake of the head. "No, we haven't. I wanted your permission to tell Suvi about you two and Mom, so she knows that it _can_ work."

"We'd have to tell her the truth eventually anyway," Harry replied after taking a few moments to think about what Terry had told them. "Since she's your girlfriend."

Alec nodded slowly. "Harry's right and I know Suvi will be the soul of discretion."

"Great!" Terry smiled brightly and Harry's heart clenched because she looked so much like her mother in that moment. "Wait right here."

*

Feeling playful, Terry snuck up behind Suvi and slipped her arms around her in a hug. Suvi gasped with surprise and spun around. "Terry!" When Suvi shoved her shoulder, Terry only laughed. "Oh, you gave me a fright! I wasn't expecting you... I must've lost track of time. I was just scanning Jardaan prototypes for an interactive model I'm building for the team. Wait. Stand here and I'll show you." Suvi turned towards the door to turn off the lights and stopped short when she spotted Alec and Harry. "Oh! Pathfinder!"

"It's all right, Suvi," Alec told her, looking amused. "You were busy with your work."

Harry nodded his agreement, looking every bit as amused. "Very focused."

"I'd like you to meet my godfather, Suvi," Terry explained, gently urging her closer to Harry and Alec. "Dr. Harry Carlyle, the _Hyperion_ 's head doctor. Uncle Harry, this is my girlfriend, Dr. Suvi Anwar, the _Tempest_ 's Science Officer."

A little shyly, Suvi offered her hand to him. "Oh! It's nice to meet you, Dr. Carlyle. Terry and Freddy have mentioned you before."

"And Terry's mentioned _you_ ," Harry replied, shaking her hand, warmly and firmly. "It's nice to have a face to go with the name, isn't it?"

Alec rolled his eyes as he muttered, "At least Terry _told_ you her name."

"I learned from you two and Mom," Terry retorted with a cheeky smile.

Suvi glanced between them, obviously confused. Chuckling, Harry explained, "I met Alec and Ellen separately and Ellen asked me to meet this soldier she was interested in to give my honest opinion of him. She neglected to tell me his name, so I was _quite_ surprised to realize that the soldier she'd met was none other than Alec."

"And Ellen asked me to meet her best friend because she was very close to him and wanted _us_ to be friends," Alec added, his smile fond as he glanced down at Harry. "Except she didn't tell me that he was none other than Harry."

Terry giggled. She never got tired of the story. "Of course, neither of _them_ used names when referring to Mom with each other, nor did _Mom_ refer to either of _them_ by name, so it was a grand reveal for all of them when they finally all met."

"Oh, my. That sounds very confusing." Suvi pressed a hand to her mouth, her blue eyes dancing with amusement.

Alec chuckled. "It's all right, Suvi, you can laugh. We know it's funny."

"Terry and Freddy find it endlessly amusing," Harry added with a nod to Terry, who only grinned at him.

With that, Suvi burst into giggles, leaning on Terry for support. While she giggled, Terry double-checked with SAM that he was ensuring no one would interrupt them. By the time he'd confirmed, Suvi had calmed down. "I wanted you to meet Uncle Harry because he's, well, he's more than a godfather to me and Freddy, really."

"I guessed as much because I certainly didn't call _my_ godfather 'uncle'," Suvi replied, glancing curiously at Harry.

Alec, who'd remained standing, moved closer to Harry and wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders, who leaned into Alec. "We're lovers, Suvi."

"Have been since Alec and Ellen got married," Harry added, his expression carefully calm.

Suvi looked from one to the other, and then at Terry. "Three parents?"

"Yep." Terry nodded, relieved that Suvi didn't seem upset by the idea. "Mom and Dad named Uncle Harry our godfather so he could be there for Freddy and I if something happened to them. And he _was_ there when I needed him."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Alec flinch and a small part of her was vindictively glad. Harry seemed to notice, because he slipped his arm around Alec's waist and squeezed gently. "Multiple matches weren't really accepted in the Alliance, so I couldn't _legally_ marry Alec and Ellen, but we considered each other spouses in every other sense."

"We've kept it quiet for now, so we'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else," Alec added, looking stern for a moment. In his violet eyes, though, Terry could see a hint of fear.

Suvi nodded firmly. "Of course. I know how to keep secrets."

"Thank you, Suvi." Stepping forward, Alec kissed her forehead.

Harry stood up and offered his hand. "Since you're dating Terry, please call me Harry."

"Only if you call me Suvi," she replied, shaking his hand.

He smiled warmly. "Done!"

"Now, we'll leave you two to talk," Alec caught Harry's hand and gently drew him to the door.

Terry waved, suspecting where they were headed. "See you!"

"Bye!" Harry waved back.

Once they'd disappeared, Terry privately told SAM to end the lockdown. She turned to Suvi. "Now, there was something you wanted to show me?"

"Oh! Yes!" Suvi hurried over to turn off the light, and then rejoined Terry, looking excited once more. "It's not complete yet but..."

Terry gasped when the model appeared in the air above the datapad Suvi had been working on while she talked with her father and godfather. It looked incredible already and it wasn't done yet? It would look amazing once Suvi finished it! "Wow."

"You're looking at the building blocks of life in Heleus," Suvi told her, blue eyes intent on the model. "This... this is what I came here to find. And I've only just started. "

Terry couldn't take her eyes off of Suvi, admiring the intensity of her focus. "It's beautiful."

"Sorry, did you say something?" Suvi barely glanced away from the model.

Smiling wryly, Terry told her, "I said, "It's beautiful.""

"You mean the display, right?" Suvi finally looked at Terry, a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

Smiling warmly at her, Terry explained, "Your insatiable curiosity about the universe. Your faith. Your love of science. To be honest, I'm a little jealous." She admitted the last almost shyly.

"You don't have to be." Suvi took Terry's hands in hers. "We're a match for a reason: we just click. On so many things. It feels right, and comfortable, and safe. Science is my calling and my passion, but you--you're my home." Unable to resist any longer, Terry kissed Suvi, sweet and tender, but with a hint of hunger behind it. Pulling away, Suvi pushed a button on the datapad next to her. "Locked the door. I know I said we should go out, but I want to stay here forever."

Terry stroked Suvi's cheek with her fingertips. "I'd love nothing more than to stay here forever with you."

"I wish." Suvi smiled, cupping Terry's cheek with one hand. "The team might have something to say about that when they try to get in here. But I'll take this moment for as long as it lasts because it's perfect."

Blue eyes gazed into violet for a long moment before they kissed again. As they grew more heated, Terry suggested breathlessly, "Perhaps we should return to the _Tempest_. I don't want our first time together to be a quickie in the tech lab."

"I like that idea." Suvi turned off the model and unlocked the door. Luckily, no one seemed to notice them as they hurried back to the _Tempest_ and to Terry's quarters. SAM confirmed that Alec was exactly where Terry suspected and she asked him for privacy.

Alone with Suvi, Terry suddenly felt nervous. "You should know: I don't have much experience. With sex, I mean."

"I'm not very experienced, either." Suvi took Terry's hands again and guided her towards the bed. "I know the theory and I'm assuming you do, too."

Terry nodded, sitting down and drawing Suvi close to stand between her knees. It was strange to stretch up to kiss her, but kind of nice, too. "I'm not a virgin, but my experiences were few and far between."

"We'll figure it out together," Suvi draped her arms over Terry's shoulders, lightly nudging their foreheads together. "We're scientists, after all."

Laughing, Terry kissed Suvi again and let her passion carry her away at last.

*

"Yeah, but she doesn't _want_ strings, Terry," Freddy muttered, sending her latest letter to his 'to reply' folder.

He jumped when Reyes asked, "Who doesn't want strings, Freddy?"

"When did you get back?" Freddy asked, turning off his datapad and setting it aside.

Smiling, Reyes sat down beside him on the bed and kissed his cheek. "Just a few minutes ago."

"Welcome home." Freddy drew Reyes into a proper kiss. "That's much better."

Giving a pleased hum, Reyes nestled against Freddy's side. "Yes, much better."

"How was your day?" Freddy asked, wrapping his arm around Reyes.

Rolling his eyes, Reyes said, "It was fine. Don't think I haven't noticed that you didn't answer my initial question."

"What was the question?" Freddy offered his best innocent look. Reyes just gave him a Look right back. Sighing, he said, "I was just commenting on something Terry sent me."

Shaking his head, Reyes patiently asked, "What did she send you?"

"Well, it seems she and Suvi caught the eye of an angaran woman," Freddy told him, talking around what Reyes really wanted to know. "They might make a go of it as a trio."

Much to his surprise, Reyes smiled warmly. "That's lovely for them. I hope they make the best decision for them and the angaran woman."

"Yeah, she's the head curator at the museum on Aya," he smiled wryly, musing that Terry _would_ befriend a fellow historian.

Nodding, Reyes shifted to face Freddy. "None of that explains your remark about someone not wanting strings."

"Shit." Sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, you know about me and Peebs." Reyes nodded, but didn't say anything. "Terry suggested that we might consider a similar arrangement with Peebee."

He waited and watched nervously as Reyes stared at him for several moments, and then looked down. Quietly, he said, "I'm assuming Terry suggested it for a reason."

"Well, yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I still like her, Reyes. A lot. I almost slept with her after we found the _Leusinia_."

Raising his eyebrows, Reyes leaned forward to prop his arms on Freddy's knees. "But you didn't _actually_ sleep with her?"

"Of course not." Freddy punched his shoulder. "I'm not Simon."

Reyes tilted his head. "What if I told you I wouldn't mind if you did?"

"I-- You-- What?" He stared at Reyes in surprise.

Shaking his head, Reyes muttered, "Terry's right, you're a ridiculous man." Freddy felt tears sting his eyes at the familiar epithet and quickly scrubbed a hand across them. "If you find yourself in that sort of situation again, don't stop yourself."

"You're really okay with me sleeping with Peebee?" Freddy asked, his heart pounding in his chest at the thought of giving in to his attraction to her again.

Reyes nodded this time, smiling fondly. "You care about her, she cares about you, why not?"

"I love you, Reyes Vidal." Freddy bodily pulled him closer for another kiss, hungrier this time.

Moaning, his lover responded eagerly to the kiss, wrapping his arms around Freddy's shoulders. He reluctantly dragged his lips away enough to say, "I love you, too, Freddy Ryder." _  
_

*

Suvi sighed and stretched while Terry gently cleaned her up with a washcloth, and then slipped under the covers with her once she'd disposed of it. "That was worth waiting for."

"It was." Terry agreed, nudging her forehead against Suvi's.

Smiling, she kissed Terry softly. "You told me about your parents and Harry because of Avela, didn't you?"

"Well, not _just_ because of her," Terry replied, suddenly very tense. "We'd have told you about their relationship eventually."

She shifted onto her side, smiling fondly at her lover. "I'm touched and honored by the trust inherent in such a revelation."

"If you want, I can give you Uncle Harry's contact information so you two can write and get to know each other that way," Terry offered, looking relieved.

Still smiling, Suvi nodded. "Yes, but that's not what I want to talk about right now."

"What, then?" Terry asked, rolling onto her side to face Suvi.

Chuckling, Suvi took Terry's hand and brought it up between them to kiss the back. "Avela."

"I like her, a lot," she admitted with a sigh, turning their hands so she could kiss the back of Suvi's. "If not for you, maybe…"

Shifting closer to Terry, Suvi wrapped her arms around her. "You still can, if you like."

"She's attracted to _both_ of us," Terry reminded her, winding her arms around Suvi in return.

She nodded, biting her lip. "I like her, too."

"Do you _want_ to act on our attraction to her?" Terry asked, shifting so their eyes met.

Part of Suvi wanted to say no, to keep Terry all to herself. Another part remembered how it'd felt to talk with Avela and Terry and see how much they made each other light up. Slowly, she nodded. "Yes, I think the three of us could work very well together."

"I think so, too," Terry confided, hugging Suvi tight. "The next time we go to Aya, we'll talk to her about what how to handle things."

*

"Jaal! Jaal!" He smiled as he embraced his true mother. He enjoyed traveling around the cluster on the _Tempest_ , but he missed his family. Sahuna stepped back, suddenly concerned, "Wait, is there bad news?"

He shook his head with a chuckle. "No! The Pathfinders are interested in where I grew up." He turned to gesture to the two Ryders, waiting nearby. "Alec, Terry, this is my true mother, Sahuna Ama Darav."

"Nice to meet you." Terry stepped forward to hug Sahuna in greeting, much to his true mother's surprised pleasure. "I know angara like the hugging."

When she stepped back, Alec hugged her as well, more awkward than Terry. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Jaal's told me how much he admires you both," Sahuna told them, looking back and forth between the two humans.

Alec and Terry glanced at Jaal with matching curious expressions, asking in unison, "Really?"

"He's my favorite," Sahuna continued and Jaal knew he'd have been blushing like Suvi if angara could. "Smart. Loyal. Kind. A great shot. Writes poetry... sews."

Deciding he'd let her go on long enough, Jaal interjected, "M-mother..."

Alec and Terry didn't even try to stifle their laughter as Sahuna gazed at Jaal for a couple moments before nodding slightly. "I'm late for a Resistance meeting. Stay clear."

"Your mother's in the Resistance?" Terry asked once Sahuna left.

"Yes." Jaal smiled and leaned in close to add, "And _every_ child is her favorite."

Wrapping an arm around Terry's shoulders, Alec told them, "As it should be."

"Dad..." Terry ducked her head, but he could see the pleased smile on her face.

Deciding not to draw attention to it, Jaal simply led them to the house where most of his family lived together. When the doors opened and the two Ryders saw how _large_ his family was, he caught a glimpse of surprise on both their faces. "Everyone, these are Alec and Terry Ryder."

"Hello." Alec offered a tiny wave.

Terry waved, too, holding her father's hand. "Hi."

"Hello." "Hi." "Hey." Jaal's family offered their own greetings.

He led father and daughter through the crowd as he explained, "This is where I spent most of my days growing up. Me. My sister, Koana, our cousin, Etta, and brother, Finn. Then Bavsil, Rollu..." Various family members greeted them as they wound through the crowd. Baranjj, Teviint, and Lathoul all particularly said hello.

"Wow. Cozy," Terry remarked, her free arm wrapped across her waist as she glanced around herself at the crowd of angara.

Jaal nodded, recognizing by now that her arm across her waist like that meant she was very uncomfortable. "We like to live like this." He led them to his bedroom, kept empty for him to use whenever he managed to visit. "And here's my room. My tiny sanctuary."

"We have a saying that I like," Alec replied as he and Terry both visibly relaxed once the door closed behind them. "'Home is where the heart is.'"

Clearing space for them to sit, he smiled at them. "I like that." Turning to his bed, he recognized the box sitting on it. "Oh, no. Who put this here?"

"What's in there?" Terry asked, sitting down beside him on the bed.

Alec sat on Jaal's other side, peering into the box along with his daughter. "Schematics? Of..."

"When I was seven, my aunt stole a kett weapon for me," Jaal explained, not surprised that Alec had noticed that. "So I took it apart. To learn."

Terry frowned slightly, "And that is--was--a kaerkyn."

"Pet kaerkyn--Alfit," Jaal explained, remembering his pet. "He died. So I also took him apart."

Alec raised his eyebrows, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. "To... learn?"

"Why not?" Jaal knew enough about humans to understand that it was unusual to them to take a pet apart. He looked back down at his box, wishing briefly that Freddy had been able to come. "I never show people these things. But I feel like we're... family."

As he got up to put the box away, Alec said, "It's been good getting to know you."

"What Dad means is that we're glad Evfra threw you on our ship," Terry added with a grin.

Jaal nodded, suddenly remembering something else from his youth. "Hey--there's one more thing you two might like." He pointed to a good spot on the floor. "Sit there."

"Been interesting so far." Alec sat down first and Terry sat beside him so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders once again.

Once they were settled, Jaal turned on the starmap he'd made. Both pairs of violet eyes widened with surprise and awe. Her voice hushed, Terry said, "Nice. You made that?"

"Long ago," he confirmed, sitting down across from them. "It's not accurate. More of a dream, really." He smiled as he added, "Just one more thing I want to take apart and figure out."

Alec smiled as Terry rested her head on his shoulder. "Us, too, Jaal. Us, too."

"It's beautiful." Terry murmured, her eyes on the stars above them.

They sat in silence, just enjoying each other's company.

*

"Are you comfortable, Zoe?" Harlan asked, adjusting the straps on the baby carrier.

She nodded, kissing the top of David's head. "Yes, it's perfect. Stop fussing, Harlan."

"Yes, dear." Harlan kissed her cheek and they left their house together.

Hand in hand, they walked over to the soccer field being marked out. Harlan joined the others in marking out the boundaries and setting up goals. A young human man with medium brown skin and a restrained afro of tight black curls explained the rules to the angara, who all listened carefully before he started the game. Zoe absently swayed in place as she watched the game. "Dr. Zoe Kennedy, I presume?"

"Yes, that's me." She turned towards the young woman who addressed her. Taller than Zoe, with violet eyes, dark brown skin, and black hair, something about her was familiar, but she couldn't figure out why. "Who are you?"

Smiling wryly, the young woman offered her hand, "Terry Ryder, second to Pathfinder Alec Ryder. And his daughter."

"Nice to meet you," Zoe replied, shaking her hand with a smile, realizing now that she strongly resembled her father. "What brings you to Eos?"

Terry shrugged. "A few different things. Liam wanted to set up this soccer game. Cora wanted Dad's help with something, and Gil--"

"Terry!" At the call, both Terry and Zoe turned to see a young human man walking towards them with a human woman in tow. He blinked when he noticed Zoe and David. "Oh, Dr. Kennedy?"

Zoe nodded, resigned to being an anomaly. "Yes, that's me."

"What's up, Gil?" Terry asked before he could say anything else.

He grinned and gestured to the woman behind him. "I wanted you to meet Jill now that she's out of cryo. Jill, this is Terry Ryder and Dr. Zoe Kennedy."

"Nice to meet you both," Jill replied, shaking each of their hands in turn. "I hear I have _you_ to thank for being out of cryo, Dr. Kennedy."

Zoe shrugged, and then tried to soothe David when he began to fuss. "I had no say in when the Nexus leadership decided to start thawing out the CDC."

"David there indicates otherwise," Terry replied, nodding to the baby.

She sighed and shook her head, but didn't try to argue further. Jill stepped closer to Terry, "Ryder, what did you _do_ to Gil? He's a completely different person."

"I did nothing," Terry replied, sounding amused. "Any changes are all Gil himself."

Jill looked skeptical. "Uh huh. Well, I have work to do. See you later."

"See you." Terry gave a little wave as Jill and Gil walked away.

Zoe and Terry watched the game in silence for a few moments before someone else approached: Alec Ryder. Now that Zoe could see colors, Alec looked even more striking with his violet eyes, silvered hair, and dark brown skin. "Hello, ladies."

"Hi, Dad." Terry greeted her father with a brief hug.

A little nervous, Zoe offered her hand. Foster had come to visit and chewed Zoe out for her reckless behavior already. She had no idea what the human Pathfinder would say. "Hello, Alec."

"Zoe." Alec shook her hand, his expression serious for several moments. Then his eyes moved to David, who was still fussing despite her efforts. "May I?"

After a moment of consideration, Zoe carefully eased David out of the carrier and gently put him in Alec's hands. "I thought being pregnant was exhausting."

"Children in general are exhausting," Alec replied as he tenderly cradled David against his chest and began to sway from side to side. He glanced at Terry, who watched with wide eyes. "But well worth it in the end."

Looking startled for a moment, a smile slowly spread across Terry's face. Alec's typically stoic expression softened as he began to hum a lullaby. "Are you hinting at something, Dad?"

"Grandchildren _would_ be nice, but I won't hound you or Freddy about it," Alec replied, a rare smile spreading across his face as David calmed and fell asleep.

Terry ducked her head, looking embarrassed. Zoe gladly took David back and eased him back into his carrier. " I don't regret having David, but I _do_ regret my timing."

"That's something," Terry replied, looking up with amusement.

The human man who'd explained the rules called out to Terry and she waved to him. Lightly punching Alec's shoulder, she trotted off to join her friend. After a short silence, Alec quietly told Zoe, "I've almost lost Terry several times since she and her brother were born. The first of which was _during_ their birth."

"That's why you were so upset when you learned I was pregnant," Zoe mused after a moment of surprise, watching the soccer game. "You were thinking of your children."

She looked back at Alec to see him nod again, his eyes on Terry as she dribbled the soccer ball through the defenders, and then passed it to another player on her team. "Yes, and in the short time since we've been in Andromeda, I've come close to losing her again. Twice." He looked at Zoe, violet eyes intent. "I understand wanting to have children, Zoe. Ellen and I wanted to have more than the twins, but it wasn't possible. There was no infrastructure in place to support you if something had gone wrong with David's birth. Even now, we barely have anything set up."

"I--" Zoe stopped and bit the inside of her cheek. Sighing, she reluctantly nodded. "I've done a lot of thinking since David's birth. I love him, but I realize now how woefully unprepared the Initiative was for babies."

Alec smiled wryly. "He's an adorable boy and I hope he grows up strong and smart."

"Thank you, Alec." Zoe looked back at the soccer game. Terry had removed herself from the game and stood with a redheaded human woman, who was showing Terry something on her omni-tool. "I hope your children are happy with their chosen partners and present you with grandchildren for you to spoil when the time is right."

Chuckling, Alec offered her his hand. "Thank you, Zoe. If it means anything, this Pathfinder stands with you, Harlan, and David."

"Thank you, Ryder," Harlan replied from behind Zoe.

They each shook his hand and Alec left to circle around the soccer field. When her husband slipped his arm around her waist, Zoe leaned into him gladly. "I didn't realize how much his opinion mattered to me until I finally had it."

"I know what you mean." He kissed her cheek softly.

She rested her head on Harlan's shoulder and watched Alec join his daughter and her friend, resting his hand on Terry's shoulder. She smiled at him in greeting, covering his hand with hers. Zoe closed her eyes and just focused on enjoying this quiet moment with her husband and son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the previous scenes with Zoe, I thought it really important for Alec to talk with her and resolve the situation. It also provided a good opportunity to introduce Jill, so there we go.


	15. To Meridian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After having some fun times, the Pathfinder and SAM calculate where Meridian ended up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a canonical character death at the end of the chapter, but it shouldn't be a surprise because I'm assuming everyone's played through the game.

"Gil, may I... get a moment of your time?" Kallo's voice via the comm system caught Gil just before he began his usual checks now that the _Tempest_ had landed on Kadara.

Sighing, he asked, "SAM, where's Kallo?"

"In the research room with the senior Pathfinder," SAM reported promptly.

Wondering what they were doing there, he wiped his hands on a (relatively) clean rag and headed there. "I thought we settled this? What's going on?"

"I saved the _Tempest_ schematics for you," Kallo explained after a short silence, prompted by a nudge from Alec. "It'll be easier for us to work out modifications with them on hand."

Curious, Gil walked over to join Kallo at the console, looking at the schematics. "Seeing her drawn out, down to the basics... she's kind of beautiful."

"Oh, right, you never saw..." Kallo's voice trailed off at the end, his eyes on the computer screen.

He shook his head, unable to look away from the schematics in front of him. "Yeah, look at the arc here. That's artistry. And there..."

"I got the ideas you sent me last night," Kallo told him after a few moments of silence.

Startled from his contemplation of the schematics, Gil looked up at him in surprise. "Oh, I _did_ send them? I was so tired that I couldn't remember if I had or not."

"You did." Kallo nodded, looking concerned. After a short silence, he sighed. "I forgot that all our technology didn't just _appear_. Someone invented it. Someone _cared_. That matters, but so does inventing new things to care about. New memories."

The last two words were so quiet that Gil wouldn't have heard them if he hadn't been standing right next to Kallo. "If I-- I didn't mean-- Kallo, these schematics are beautiful. Thank you for sharing them with me."

"You're welcome." A tiny smile curled the corners of Kallo's mouth. As Gil started to move away, a delicate, three-fingered hand caught his arm. "Were you going to say something else?"

After a long moment of internal debate, Gil reluctantly told him, "I'm sorry if I don't seem to _care_ about what your team accomplished with their design. I _do_ care, and that's why I want to modify it, so you can keep flying the _Tempest_ as long as you can."

"I--" Blinking, Kallo looked back at the schematics. "Thank you, Gil. It's funny, you know. Most salarians leap at innovation."

Folding his arms across his chest, Gil mused, "Yeah, I _did_ think it was strange that you didn't want me to change the _Tempest_."

"There was a time that it seemed likely that the entire project would be scrapped," Kallo confided quietly, clasping his hands together. "Some 'engineering consultant' kept insisting the ship would never fly right." He kept his eyes on the schematics, reaching up to idly shift the picture. "He used a lot of your arguments. I think that's why it hurt. The others died thinking we'd won, that their legacy was safe and... I failed them."

Gil shook his head, shifting closer. "I don't want to rebuild the _Tempest_ entirely, you know. I just want to ensure she'll survive Andromeda."

"I understand that now." Kallo met Gil's eyes with an appreciative smile. "In the end, someone new always takes up the banner of technical progress and pushes forward."

Carefully, he reached out and took Kallo's hand in his. "I'd like us to push forward together, Kallo. We can honor your team by keeping their work alive."

"I'd like that, Gil. Thank you for understanding my position," Kallo told him, his eyes on their clasped hands.

He nodded, smiling faintly. "Thank _you_ for accepting that life is full of change."

"About those designs you sent me..." Pulling his hand away, Kallo lifted his arm up to activate his omni-tool, bringing up the files Gil had sent him. "I wanted to focus on ways to detect the Scourge and protect the ship from it."

Gil nodded, shifting closer so he could peer at Kallo's omni-tool over his shoulder. Absently, he noted that it wasn't gray anymore, but pushed that aside in favor of focusing on the discussion with Kallo. "Right, so focus on sensors and shields?"

"And EMP defenses." Kallo tapped his omni-tool and brought up a design Gil hadn't seen before.

He nodded again, delighted that Kallo had thought of something on his own. _I guess Alec wasn't crazy to suggest we work together on this...  
_

*

"Hey, Freddy, Reyes!" Terry called as they started up the ramp to the _Tempest_.

Reyes turned to see her and Vetra approaching from the docking bay doors. "Hey, Terry, Vetra. What were you ladies up to?"

"Mountain climbing," Vetra replied as they caught up to Reyes and continued up the ramp with him. Freddy had already disappeared into the ship. "Found a sweet mountain with a great view."

When they reached the top of the ramp, Suvi stood with Freddy, waiting for them. She stepped forward with a smile and greeted Terry with a hug and a warm kiss. He couldn't resist pouting a little. "What? No kiss for me, Suvi?"

"Hello, Reyes." Suvi walked over and stretched up to kiss his cheek.

He placed his hand over his heart with a dramatic sigh. "Oh, Suvi."

"Oh, stop." She shoved his shoulder, her cheeks a little pink.

Alec's voice distracted Reyes from responding. "Should I warn Terry and Freddy that you two might be leaving them?"

"Of course not, Alec," Suvi replied as they turned to see him standing beside Freddy now.

Reyes frowned as he peered closely at Alec. "What happened to your eye?"

"Bar brawl," Drack volunteered from the catwalk above them, leaning over the railing.

He looked between the two men, eyebrows raised. "I heard about the brawl at Kralla's Song. That was you two?"

"Yep, two old men taking on all comers." Peebee volunteered as she rode the lift down from the catwalk. "Hi, Freddy, Reyes."

Freddy grinned as Peebee walked over to hug him tightly in greeting. "Hi, Peebs."

"From what I heard, you two were the last ones standing," Reyes added. He raised his eyebrows when Peebee turned to hug him as well. "Hi, Peebee."

Alec laughed weakly, lightly touching the bruise around his eye. "Well, not without taking a few hits ourselves."

"Lexi refused to heal the black eye," Suvi confided as the others wandered off, leaving her to lead Reyes down the corridor. "Said Alec needed the reminder not to get into fights."

Another asari turned towards them as they approached. She had no markings around her eyes and wore a red and white tunic with black trim, which marked her as a medic. "Not that I think it'll actually _work_. Who's your friend, Suvi?"

"This is Reyes Vidal, Freddy's boyfriend," Suvi explained, turning so she could address them both. "Reyes, this Dr. Lexi T'Perro, our medic. She's the one who patched up Freddy when he was stabbed."

He nodded, offering his hand to Lexi. "Very nice to meet you, Dr. T'Perro. Thank you very much for keeping Freddy in one piece."

"It's my job, Mr. Vidal," she replied, shaking his hand. "Do you think Freddy would be willing to come by for a quick checkup?"

Suvi shrugged. "You know the Ryders are bad about checkups, Lexi."

"That's no excuse, Suvi," Lexi retorted.

Reyes grinned. "If you _really_ want to give him a checkup, I can help to get him in here."

"I'll keep your offer in mind, Mr. Vidal." Lexi nodded to them. "Excuse me."

She disappeared through the doors marked Med Bay. Terry's voice distracted them: "Ah, that's _much_ more comfortable."

"You _look_ more comfortable," Suvi replied once she and Reyes turned to see that Terry had emerged from the Pathfinders' quarters, wearing a tank top and shorts.

Reyes chuckled as Terry drew Suvi into another kiss. A voice behind him called, "Oy, Terry, are you done in your quarters? Can we set up for movie night?"

"Yes, Gil," Terry replied with a long-suffering sigh. "C'mon, Suvi, Reyes, let's get out of Jaal and Gil's way."

Reyes let Suvi and Terry climb up a nearby ladder before following them up. They'd stopped near the top and stood looking down. Following their gaze, he realized that the bridge connecting where they stood with the rear of the ship was clear. This allowed them to watch as Jaal and a human man Reyes didn't recognize entered the Pathfinders' quarters. "How did this movie night come about?"

"It was Liam's idea originally," Terry explained, indicating a human man with medium brown skin and a subtle black afro who now stood talking with Freddy and Alec. "Then Suvi suggested having snacks with it."

Suvi held up a hand. " _Angaran_ snacks, Terry."

"Angaran snacks," Terry dutifully repeated, kissing Suvi's cheek. "Then Vetra found out someone on Kadara had popcorn and graxen, so Dad... confiscated it."

As they watched, Vetra joined Liam, Alec, and Freddy, handing the last a bag. Grinning, Freddy headed down the corridor. He paused when he spotted them and waved with his free hand. Out of the corner of his eye, Reyes saw Terry and Suvi wave back. He, on the other hand, blew a kiss at Freddy. He pretended to catch it and swoon. As Suvi and Terry giggled, Freddy continued down the corridor and disappeared into a room to the left of where they stood. Behind them, a door hissed open and a new voice asked, "I thought movie night was going to be in the Pathfinders' quarters?"

"It is, Kallo," Suvi replied, prompting Reyes to turn to see that a familiar salarian had joined them. "We're just up here to stay out of the way."

He offered his hand to Kallo before either woman could make introductions. "Good to see you, Kallo. I wasn't surprised when I heard you were the _Tempest_ 's pilot here in Andromeda."

"Hello, Reyes." Kallo shook his hand with a smile. "I wasn't surprised that you'd ended up on Kadara of all places."

Terry made an annoyed sound. "Of _course_! You're both pilots. Why didn't I remember that?"

"Why _didn't_ you remember it, Terry?" Reyes asked her with a chuckle.

Suvi stretched up to kiss Terry's cheek. "To be fair, you've had a _lot_ going on lately."

"Very true." Terry kissed Suvi's cheek in return.

The next moment, the door behind them opened again and Peebee emerged, carrying a crate of bottles. "Excuse me." They moved aside and she set the crate down near the other ladder, peering over the side. "Hey, Drack!"

"Yeah?" The krogan peered up at Peebee. "It's ready?"

Nodding, Peebee focused and a mass effect field surrounded the crate. It slowly floated down to Drack, who took firm hold of it. "Got it?"

"Got it," Drack confirmed with a nod. The mass effect field disappeared and Drack carried the crate into the same room that Freddy had disappeared into. Before the door closed behind him, he called up, "You're playing bartender, Peebee."

She laughed and slid down the ladder. Turning to face the rest of the crew, she announced, "I'm taking drink orders while we wait!"

"Where did she get all the booze?" Reyes wondered. "I didn't see any labels on the bottles."

Terry laughed. "She and Drack brewed it. I think Lexi asked Dad to buy some wine from the Nexus for those of us who don't want to risk it."

"Everything's ready." The human man who'd disappeared into the Pathfinders' quarters with Jaal announced while everyone milled around in the corridor.

They began to filter into the room and Liam called from the back of the crowd, "The Ryders get the best seats!"

"That was a given, Liam," the other human man replied with a chuckle as Terry, Suvi, and Reyes slid down the ladder. "Oh, hey, Terry, Suvi. Is this Freddy's boyfriend?"

He offered his hand with a wink. "Reyes Vidal. You are?"

"Gil Brodie, ship's engineer," Gil replied, shaking Reyes' hand with a smile. Then he looked over Reyes' shoulder and something about his smile changed, "Oh, hey, Kallo. I had some more thoughts about those designs we were discussing earlier."

Kallo nodded. "Funny, so did I."

"Great!" They disappeared into the Pathfinders' quarters, still talking.

Alec approached with the human man and woman. "I'm so glad they're getting along better."

"They didn't before?" Reyes asked curiously.

The woman winced and shook her head. Alec smiled wryly, "No, they didn't. Anyway, Reyes, I'd like you to meet Cora Harper and Liam Kosta, the only other original members of the human Pathfinder team. Cora, Liam, this is Reyes Vidal, Freddy's boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you both." Reyes offered his hand with his most charming smile.

Liam shook his hand first, grinning. "Nice to finally put a face to a name. Good to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Cora added, shaking his hand.

Before they could talk further, Freddy announced, "The snacks are ready. Graxen for Vetra and popcorn for everyone else."

*

Once everyone had their snacks and drinks, they settled in the Pathfinders' quarters to watch _Last of the Legion_. Jaal and Gil had removed the temporary bulkhead separating it into two rooms for Alec and Terry and put up a screen to project the movie onto. Two couches had been pushed together facing the screen and several chairs rounded up from around the ship. Alec took the seat on one of the middle ends of the couches while Terry took the other. Freddy sat beside Alec with Reyes beside him. Suvi, of course, sat next to Terry, and Drack sat on Suvi's other side. Lexi took one of the chairs, positioning it beside Drack, while Vetra and Gil sat in the other two behind the couches. Liam, Jaal, Cora, Peebee, and Kallo sat on the deck in front of the couch. "Everyone ready? Starting the movie in 3... 2... 1..." With a flourish, Liam pressed the button on his omni-tool to start the movie.

They watched in silence at first, though it didn't take long for the crew to begin nitpicking the story. Kallo started it off: "But... it's vacuum! The ship explosion would be silent!"

"I hope that's not the voice of experience talking," Gil remarked dryly, peering at Kallo over the back of the couch.

Liam shrugged and chuckled. "Guess they wanted their money's worth--they actually blew up a derelict for that shot."

"Too bad the script wasn't caught in the blast." Lexi's comment almost went unnoticed.

A few moments later, Cora demanded, "Why a strike team? Torpedo the cruiser!"

"That's overkill," Gil retorted promptly. "Get one engineer aboard, cut life support and engines-- problem solved.

Cora shook her head, "And leave them stuck on a hostile ship? One torpedo, over by lunch."

"I think a charm offensive might be more... rewarding," Freddy suggested with a grin.

Jaal nodded thoughtfully, "Mmm. Yes."

"Classic irresistible hero." Liam interjected enthusiastically, bumping Jaal's shoulder with his. "Pretend to be captured..."

"...beat-up armor, enticing scars, soulful eyes..." Jaal offered, sitting up a little.

"...yeah, yeah--the old 'dinner and drinks to show off my villainy.'" Liam nodded eagerly. "They get cozy..."

"And then--strike!" Jaal finished, and then added, "Or not. Why spoil the evening?"

Next to Alec, Terry sat up slightly and offered her own idea: "Fry their sensors, spacewalk on the hull, cut life support, rappel in, and take them hostage."

"Done it. Less exciting than it sounds," Drack announced blandly.

Lexi peered him incredulously. "Seriously?"

"Got the scars to prove it." Drack showed her his arm.

After studying it for a moment, she told him, "I assumed you got that falling off a barstool."

A short round of laughter ended with the death of one of the characters and considerable overacting from the turian lead. "Ugh, he was a sidekick, they die like goldfish."

"No acting like over-acting," Cora offered. "Even Ryder could do better."

"Which one?" Alec asked, raising his eyebrows.

She grinned up at him. "Any of you."

"Probably, but let's just stick with the over-acting turian," Alec suggested, his thoughts going to the Archon's ship.

He relaxed slightly when he felt both Terry and Freddy lightly nudge his shoulders, reminding him that they were both there and alive.

*

Suvi smiled when she felt Terry begin to stir as _Last of the Legion_ slowly drew to a close. She lightly stroked Terry's braids as Jorax declared, "I swear to love you, a thousand times, a thousand stars."

"Oh, Jorax," Revia responded, looking up at him adoringly as Terry reached up and caught Suvi's hand with hers. "So many years lost. We were so foolish." Suvi smiled when Terry kissed the palm of her hand as Revia continued, "Our hearts are one. No enemy fleet, no sea of stars can ever separate us again."

The music swelled to a crescendo as the on-screen lovers shared a passionate kiss and the shot faded to black. As the credits began to scroll up the screen, Terry sat up and stretched thoroughly. Jaal peered up from his place on the floor. "Is that how Milky Way aliens romance each other?"

"It's an exaggeration, Jaal," Alec explained as everyone began to get up and stretch. "Plus, different aliens have different cultures and different courtship rituals."

He moved closer to Alec, stepping over Peebee, who still sat on the floor, leaning back against Freddy and Reyes' shins. "What about when it's two different aliens?"

"Then the people in question should talk to each other and discuss how they want to proceed," Lexi answered for Alec. "Of course, communication is important in _any_ relationship, romantic or otherwise, across alien species or not."

Jaal nodded, looking thoughtful. After a few moments, Alec cleared his throat, "All right, people, let's put the rooms back together. _Then_ you can leave."

With some grumbling, everyone began moving furniture and bulkheads around until the Pathfinder's quarters were once again divided into two. Suvi watched with amusement as Freddy and Reyes moved the one couch back into Terry's quarters. Once it was in position, the former stepped up to Terry and hugged her tight. She hugged him back, pressing their foreheads together. Reyes waited beside Suvi. "I'm glad we could join the crew for this movie."

"Me, too." Suvi agreed, smiling when Freddy whispered something that made Terry laugh and shove him away.

Freddy pressed a hand over his heart, pretending to be offended, "You don't love me after all, Terry. I'm hurt."

"Ridiculous man." Terry punched his shoulder with a fond smile. "You _know_ I love you."

Grinning, Freddy asked, "A thousand times, a thousand stars?"

"Are you going to recite that to me now?" Reyes asked, stepping forward to slip an arm around Freddy's waist.

Eyeing his lover with a mischievous glint in his eyes, Freddy said, "Maybe. Unless you think of a way to shut me up."

"I have a few ideas." Reyes leaned forward to kiss Freddy, soft and lingering.

Terry rolled her eyes and turned her back on them to join Suvi and draw her into a tender kiss. Suvi resisted for barely a moment before giving in to the kiss, winding her arms around Terry's neck. Before they could get carried away, an omni-tool chimed, disturbing the silence. Suvi and Terry drew apart to watch as Reyes answered his omni-tool. "Yes?"

"Sorry to disturb you on your night off, Reyes," an unfamiliar voice replied. "The Charlatan is needed dirtside."

Reyes' eyes flicked up to Freddy for a moment, and then back to his omni-tool. "Right. I'll be there soon, Keema."

"Thanks, Reyes. Sorry again for disturbing you." The image on Reyes' omni-tool flickered out and he lowered his arm.

He cupped Freddy's cheek. "Duty calls, apparently."

"At least you got to enjoy the movie," Freddy told him, stepping forward to kiss him, quick and soft. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Reyes shook his head. "No, stay and visit a while longer." He whispered something to Freddy, who nodded. Then Reyes turned to Terry and opened his arms. "Do I get a hug?"

"Of course." Smiling, Terry hugged him. "Take care, Reyes."

He chuckled. "Always, Terry."

"Be careful, Reyes." After a moment of internal debate, Suvi hugged him, too. 

He kissed her forehead. "Always, Suvi. Hopefully, we'll see each other soon."

"Hopefully." She smiled and stretched up to kiss his cheek.

The next moment, Reyes left the room. Freddy turned to Terry. "I'll let you two have some privacy now."

"Thanks, Freddy." Terry hugged her brother tight, kissing his cheek. "I'm glad you could join us for our first movie night."

He returned the hug and the kiss on the cheek. "Me, too."

"It was good to see you again," Suvi told him, hugging Freddy once Terry released him.

He hugged her and kissed her forehead. "I'm always glad to see you again, Suvi."

After Suvi stretched up to kiss his cheek, Freddy stepped back and left the room. Terry drew Suvi into a tight embrace and she nestled into her lover's arms gladly.

*

"Hey, Peebs." Freddy sat down beside where she laid back on the landing pad, staring up at Kadara's night sky.

She resolutely didn't look at him, much as she wanted to. "Hey, Freddy. Why didn't you leave with Reyes?"

"I didn't need to go." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him wrap his arms around his knees, looking up at the sky, too.

They sat (or laid) in silence for several minutes before Peebee's curiosity got the better of her: "Why are you out here?"

"I can't spend time with you?" Freddy asked, his expression one of exaggerated innocence.

Sighing, she sat up, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Well, of course, but I get the feeling you have an ulterior motive."

"Fine, yes, I had a reason for coming here besides simply spending time with you." He shifted to look at her properly. "I told Reyes that I still like you, that we almost slept together."

Peebee stared at him in surprise. "I thought you weren't going to?"

"I wasn't, but it came up." Freddy shrugged, looking sheepish. "Anyway, he basically told me not to stop if we found ourselves in that sort of situation again."

She wasn't sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, she ached to hold Freddy again, but on the other, she didn't want him to simply assume that she was available for sex. "I jettisoned my bedroom, you know."

"But you replaced it," he reminded her with a grin. It faded the next moment. "I didn't tell you because I want us to bone right now. I told you for future reference."

Peebee nodded and looked back up at the sky. _Goddess, the pull is so strong!_ She buried her face in her arms and groaned. "Fuck."

"Peebs?" Freddy scooted closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are you all right?"

Her face still buried in her arms, she told him, "I really want you, but I don't want to give the impression that I'm easy."

"Oh, Peebs." Laughing, he kissed her temple. "I could never think that of you. Not with the way you kept pushing me away."

Peebee lifted her head to stare at him. "If I told you right now that I didn't want to bone, you'd get up and walk away? No arguing?"

"Yes, I would." Freddy nodded, still smiling. "No means no, full stop."

Smiling, Peebee unfolded herself enough to pull Freddy into a hungry kiss. After a moment of surprise, he wound his arms around her and returned the kiss just as hungrily. When they parted to catch their breath, he pressed his forehead against hers. "I want you, Freddy. Right now."

"Unless you _want_ everyone to see us boning, let's go somewhere more private." Freddy gently disentangled himself from her and stood up.

She took his offered hand and let him pull her to her feet. "Let's not do it on the _Tempest_ , though. I took a room at Kralla's Song."

"Lead the way, my lady." He bowed deeply and elaborately.

Peebee laughed and shoved him with her biotics. "Ridiculous man."

"Very ridiculous," Freddy agreed, shoving her with his biotics in return.

She took his hand and led him away from the landing pad. For the first time in months, she wasn't going to ignore the pull she felt towards him.

*

Avela didn't have to turn to know that Terry and Suvi were approaching. Her body energy was humming already. She smiled when they leaned on the railing on either side of her with Terry commenting, "Pretty view."

"I like to imagine what my ancestors would say if they could see what we've built," Avela confided to them, keeping her eyes on the view spread out below them. "How we've flourished in spite of everything that's happened."

Quietly, Suvi murmured, "Places like Aya give me hope. We could really make a home in Heleus for everyone."

"Here's hoping the rest of the Initiative will follow the angara's example," Terry added, her tone wry and resigned.

Avela straightened up and told them, "You can and you will, especially if all humans are like you. I have no doubt that they'll thrive."

"Well, not all humans are like us," Suvi admitted, looking sad for a moment.

Terry moved over and wrapped an arm around Suvi's shoulders. "That's not necessarily a bad thing, though."

"I've been studying those artifacts you recovered," Avela told them, taking refuge in talking about her work. "What I found was incredible. Our history is much shorter than we'd previously thought. Less than a millennium. It's as though we suddenly sprang into being. A fully formed civilization."

Suvi bit her lip and said quietly, "Now we know the Jardaan created your people."

"You really did just spring into being," Terry added thoughtfully.

Avela nodded. "But what if they also engineered our culture? Gave us traditions and beliefs we've carried forward?" The historical and philosophical implications of learning they'd been created and hadn't evolved was staggering. Avela wasn't sure where to even start unraveling what it all meant for them as a people. "Until we understand our past, we can't decide our future. What you found could affect generations to come. I can't imagine getting here without you two."

"We'd like to continue helping you, Avela," Suvi told her, reaching out to rest her hand on Avela's arm.

The simple touch sent ripples through her body energy and she drew in a quiet breath at the sensation. _That's new..._ Terry reached out and rested her hand on Avela's other arm. "You told us last time that you're attracted to us and we want you to know that the attraction is mutual on both our parts as well."

"I... I'm touched and honored, truly," Avela told them. "But I've been thinking since your last visit and my work at the Repository needs my full attention. Also, you, Terry, have a tremendous task ahead of you. I don't want to distract you from that."

Suvi shook her head with a look that Avela tentatively identified as fond exasperation. "By that logic, I'm a distraction, too."

"Honestly, I think occasional distractions can be quite beneficial," Terry added with a chuckle.

Reluctantly, she drew her arms away from their hands. "Someday, when this is all over, if you two still feel the same, find me. Until then, we all have work to do."

"How about a kiss?" Suvi suggested, and then quickly covered her mouth with her hand, blue eyes wide above it.

Terry looked at her with surprised pleasure. "I'd never expected you to suggest such a thing, Suvi."

"Nor I," Avela agreed, and then nodded. "Very well, one kiss for each of you."

At a gesture from Terry, Suvi stepped forward into Avela's arms. Her lips were soft and surprisingly pliant against Avela's. After a few moments, Suvi drew back, her cheeks pink. "Thank you, Avela."

"That was lovely," Terry observed, her smile warm and something in her eyes that Avela didn't dare try to name.

Once Suvi moved aside, Terry stepped into Avela's arms to claim her own kiss. Taller than Suvi, Avela didn't have to bend down as much to kiss her. When they drew apart, Avela told her, "Thank you."

"No, thank _you_ , Avela." Suvi gently slipped into the embrace with Avela and Terry.

Terry sighed and pressed her forehead against Avela's. "Thank you."

*

"How the _fuck_ did she think hiring mercenaries was a good idea?" Terry asked while she and Alec rode the lift to the docking bay.

Her father shrugged. "She had a good point, though. We protected Prodromos from Akksul, but we can't always do that."

"But hiring mercenaries?" Terry wondered, shaking her head.

Another shrug. "Like I told Yale: a good idea in _theory_. You should know enough history to recognize that."

"Yeah." Terry sighed, letting go of the last vestiges of anger.

The lift reached the docking bay and they stepped off to head to the _Tempest_. "Dad! Terry!"

"Freddy!" Terry ran to meet her brother, hugging him tight. "Here for supplies?"

Before he could answer, Alec reached them and pulled Freddy into a tight hug. "Hi, Freddy."

"Hi, Dad." Freddy grinned when Alec pulled back enough to tap their foreheads together. "I'm picking up supplies for Ditaeon. What about you?"

Terry glanced at Alec, feeling her heart sink a little. "We're on our way to the _Tempest_."

"SAM has developed an algorithm that will hopefully take us to Meridian," Alec added, his expression turning serious.

Freddy nodded, his smile fading. "Well, you'd better head out so you can beat the Archon there."

"I don't suppose you can come with us?" Terry asked a little hesitantly. "Like you did when we went after the _Leusinia_?"

He shook his head. "No, not this time."

"It was worth asking." Terry hugged him again, and then pressed their foreheads together. "Take care, baby bro."

He rolled his eyes. "You'll never let that go."

"Nope!" Terry managed an unrepentant grin as she stepped aside.

Alec stepped forward and hugged Freddy, saying something she couldn't hear. Then he pulled back enough to tap their foreheads together again. "See you soon, Freddy."

"See you soon, Dad." Freddy cleared his throat and stepped back.

Reluctantly, Terry walked with Alec to the _Tempest_ 's docking bay. She really wished Freddy could join them for this mission. It was going to change _everything_ in the cluster if they had anything to say on the matter.

*

"Congratulations, Pathfinder." Alec hardly listened to the Archon's voice in his head, his attention focused on Terry, whose knees had buckled. "A great day for us all."

As she clutched at Alec, trying to stay on her feet, Alec demanded, "SAM? _Tempest_ , what's going on?"

"I believed you a fitting rival, but you are a false thing. A lie." As the Archon droned on, Alec managed to pull Terry to her feet, tugging her arm over his shoulders.

He looked at Drack and Cora, who looked as stunned as him. When he spoke to give them orders, his voice sounded like it was coming to him through water, even to his own ears. "Get back to the _Tempest_!"

"Once I saw what made you special--your connection--I knew how and when to take it from you." As they staggered towards the door, Terry's movements became slower, clumsier, as if--

He stumbled to the ground when Terry's legs finally gave out, turning her face to his. "No, Terry. Hold on. Stay with me."

"I _let_ you find Meridian," the Archon's voice carried on, triumphant. "And now I'll use your SAM and your other child to weaponize it."

Alec could feel tears streaming down his cheeks and he didn't care that Cora and Drack were there, taking Terry's hand and holding it tight. "Don't, Terry. You have too much to live for."

"Da', tell Suvi." Her voice was weak, barely audible. "Love 'er."

He couldn't stifle a wet laugh, pressing his forehead to hers, his heart breaking. This was worse than either of the previous two times. "Tell her yourself."

"All Heleus will be exalted," the Archon's voice was inexorable. "Or, one by one, your worlds will die--starting with Eos."

Terry kept her eyes on Alec's, tears slipping down her cheeks. "G'bye, Da'. Luvoo."

"All I need to start is an implant like yours." The Archon's voice didn't quite drown out Alec's sobs as he held his daughter. "Thanks to your child's memories, I know who else has one. Another reason to take the _Hyperion_."

The heavy Remnant door slammed shut as Terry slumped in Alec's arms, lifeless. "No! Terry!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last scene was one of the first I wrote for the fic and has remained largely unchanged.


	16. Fighting for Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of Heleus converges on Meridian to stop the Archon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoy this part of the game because it shows that all the time you spent doing side quests paid off: everyone comes to help you.

"Hello, Freddy." SAM's voice startled him as he helped evacuate civilians from the _Hyperion_.

Nothing seemed to need Freddy's attention at the moment, so he answered, "SAM? How are you... What's going on? All we know is we're being overrun!"

"Kett forces are sweeping the ship," SAM informed him. "They're looking for you." Freddy started walking at that news, determined to make it harder to be found. "Freddy, Terry needs your help."

He frowned, dodging around a group of evacuees, keeping his voice down. "This is crazy. She and Dad are closing in on Meridian."

"The Archon has severed my link to your father and sister's implants," SAM told him as he kept moving. "If basic function isn't manually restored, your sister will die."

Freddy stopped short at that, his heart freezing in his chest at the thought of Terry dying for good this time. "What?" He moved to one side to avoid being in others' way. "What about Dad?"

"He should still be alive," SAM replied, but he didn't seem very certain. "Please, Freddy, proceed to depot K-4 to secure a weapon."

Sighing, Freddy headed towards the depot SAM had specified. "Goddamn it." As he walked, he continued, "Context, SAM! Come on!"

"The Archon isn't stealing the _Hyperion_ ," SAM told him as Freddy dodged around groups going the other way. "He wants you and me. Your implant is the same as your father and sister's. He'll use us to control Meridian and your sister will die."

Reaching the depot, Freddy opened it and snatched up the first pistol he found. "The Archon will kill her?"

"No, losing me will." Somehow, SAM sounded regretful.

Freddy frowned, grabbing extra ammo and tucking it into his weapons belt. "But not Dad? Why not both of them?"

"I am sorry, but I took over too much of your sister's implant to save her on Habitat 7." Freddy pressed his lips tightly together at the reminder of Terry's first death. "Losing me will kill her if we don't re-establish a connection."

He drew his pistol and began shooting kett that stood between him and his goal. "So when the comms dropped, she did, too?"

"Hurry, Freddy." SAM's response confirmed his worst nightmare.

Freddy could only imagine what his father was going through at that moment. _He and Terry are **finally** sorting things out between them. He's **not** going to lose her now._

"Look out!" Dunn's warning reminded Freddy to pay attention to his surroundings. "Freddy, shoot them!" After all the kett lay dead, Dunn said, "Freddy! SAM said you're fighting to the comm override? You can't!"

Freddy shrugged helplessly as he reloaded his pistol, wishing he had a better weapon. "I know! SAM isn't making sense."

"No, I mean take the access route," Dunn told him, opening a different door than the one Freddy had been aiming for. "If the Pathfinders are in trouble, that's all we need to hear."

After Dunn promised to hold the line against the kett, Freddy reluctantly left them, pushing on to the comm override. "SAM, Dunn won't last long. What's the plan?"

"Manually send a reboot signal," SAM told him, urgency in his mechanical voice somehow. "It will reset both Alec and Terry's implants."

He began moving faster when he spotted the QEC. He was almost there. Terry would be fine soon. "Like a factory reset?"

"To restore the functions I shouldn't have taken." Was that _guilt_ in SAM's voice? "With luck, her heart will not have stopped."

Freddy winced. "That's _not_ reassuring, SAM."

"Should I apologize?" SAM inquired.

He shook his head, reaching the console at last. "Okay, we're here."

"One pulse, Freddy." SAM sounded as urgent as an AI could be. "That's all Terry needs."

Freddy hesitated, glancing at the corridor where people were rushing past, presumably away from invading kett. Quietly, he voiced the thought that had just occurred to him. "And it'll probably alert the Archon. He'll know where I am."

"I am sorry." SAM did sound apologetic.

He nodded, looking towards the corridor again. "Me too, SAM. Me too."

Freddy snatched up his pistol to aim it at the kett who rushed into the QEC just then. While they hesitated, he looked back at the console and pressed the button that would send the pulse Terry needed. _I hope we were in time._

*

Alec couldn't bring himself to leave Terry's body, not even to help Drack try to physically open the Remnant door. Cora spoke into her omni-tool, repeating her plea, " _Tempest_ , come in! The Pathfinder is down! Come in!"

"I'm sorry, Terry," he whispered, wiping away the tears that lingered on her cheeks. "I was an idiot when you came out to me and I never--"

She convulsed in his arms and drew in a breath. "Hey, Dad."

"Terry! Thank god!" Alec hugged her tight. After a moment, she hugged him back, burying her face in his neck. Unwilling to let the opportunity pass him by, he whispered, "I love you, too, Terry. Always have."

Drack interrupted just then. "Terry! You were dead."

"We couldn't get a word out of--" Cora stopped and cleared her throat. "What _happened_?"

Alec helped Terry to her feet. "The _Hyperion's_ dark. SAM with it. We need to get back."

"Why just me?" Terry asked, leaning heavily against the Remnant console that controlled the door. "Why didn't it drop Dad, too?"

Alec grimaced as Terry coughed. "Remember the Archon's ship? SAM could only stop your heart, not mine. Probably the same reason."

"Fuck." Terry sighed, and then stretched her hand out to the console, her expression determined. "We need to open the door."

Alec caught her arm, pulling it back. "I can do that. Save your strength."

"That door is Remnant," Cora reminded them. "You need SAM."

Alec stretched his hand out over the console. "We _need_ to get back to the _Tempest_."

"Hang in there, Alec," Drack told him when his first attempt failed. "Just focus. Slow and steady."

He could see Terry's hand trembling where it rested on the edge of the console. "We need to get back!" The door opened a little this time.

"Your vitals are going crazy," Cora remarked, concerned. "Are you sure about this, sir?"

Alec took a deep, steadying breath and thought of Freddy in the Archon's clutches. "I can do this!"

"Dad!" Terry tried to catch Alec when he nearly fell over after opening the door.

Cora caught them both. "I don't believe it. You... are you okay, sir?"

"To the _Tempest_ ," Alec ordered them, straightening up. "We have to move!"

*

"There you are!" Lexi exclaimed, rushing to meet Alec, Terry, Cora, and Drack. She scanned Terry first as she leaned on her father. "You... need to stop doing this."

Terry gave her a wry look, a hint of exhaustion in her voice. "Nice to see you, too."

"Any news on the ark?" Alec asked as Lexi scanned him in turn.

"Still headed to Meridian with a small flotilla," Kallo reported via comms as Lexi scanned Cora. "Terry got the last signal before the Archon locked it down."

Lexi only half-listened to the others' argument as she scanned Drack. Ignoring his grumbles that he was fine, she returned her attention to Terry, who'd sat down on the edge of the _Tempest's_ ramp. Her vitals still showed signs of her latest brush with death, her recovery slower than before. _Of course! She had SAM to help her before. Now she doesn't._

Before she could muse further, the entire complex they were in rocked and Terry jumped to her feet. "Dad!"

"Oh, wow." Lexi wasn't sure who whispered that, but she agreed wholeheartedly with the sentiment as the Remnant structure came to life around them.

"You... did an impossible thing." Peebee stared out over the changing landscape.

Cora kept her focus on Alec, "Can you keep that up? Have them fight for us?"

"The kett are tough," Vetra remarked, sounding optimistic, "but Remnant hit hard."

Jaal agreed, offering further hope, "The promise of that could inspire others to join in from across the cluster."

"We have a 'for real' shot at this!" Liam added as Alec rejoined the group, looking more drained than before.

Terry moved to her father's side, signing something too fast for Lexi to follow with her basic understanding of human sign language. Drack distracted her with his typical krogan bluntness: "Rally the troops for a last stand."

"We're _not_ throwing anyone's lives away, but the Remnant give us a chance worth taking," Alec told them firmly, gripping Terry's shoulder with one hand as he gestured towards the complex around them with the other. "Right?"

Cora voiced what they were all thinking, firm and certain: "Right."

Alec wrapped his arm around Terry's shoulders, a move that Lexi wondered had more to do with his sudden unsteadiness than anything else. From the way Terry leaned into him in return, she doubted it mattered. "Every one of us has people in Heleus that we care about. We need them with us." He shifted enough to meet their gazes one by one. "Not to throw at the Archon. I'll make the Remnant do that."

" _We_ will," Terry interrupted with a stern look eerily reminiscent of Alec himself.

Smiling, he touched his forehead to hers for a moment before continuing. " _We'll_ make the Remnant do that. We're fighting for the lives we've built. That only matters if there's someone left to live them."

"Now let's go kick the Archon's ass once and for all," Terry added with a fierce look. Amid cheers and laughter, they began to file aboard the _Tempest_.

Father and daughter hung back and Lexi joined them, scanning once again. She shook her head at Alec's readings. "Using Remnant without SAM is a strain. Are you sure about this?"

"We don't have a choice," Alec replied as Terry walked over to the same console he'd used. Spreading her hand out above it with a frown of concentration, she waited a moment before the modules in the console rippled in response.

The subtle signs of strain in Alec's face and posture eased. Terry rejoined them with a firm nod. "Now we're _sharing_ the burden."

"I'll prepare something to help you two in the fight to come," Lexi told them as they boarded the _Tempest_. "The crash afterwards won't be fun, but hopefully SAM will be able to help you deal with that."

Alec nodded and activated his comm, "We're all aboard, Kallo. Set course for Meridian."

"Understood, Pathfinder," Kallo's answer came promptly.

As the ship closed up and lifted off, Alec and Terry turned to each other, pressing their foreheads together. Both pairs of violet eyes closed, they murmured together, "Let's go to Meridian."

"I'm reading all sorts of Remnant ships launching around us," Suvi reported via comms. "Following a similar course."

Father and daughter eased apart. "Good. Make sure everyone has the navpoint to send to their friends so they can meet us there."

"Yes, Pathfinder," she acknowledged.

Lexi gave them a stern look. "You two need to rest until we get to Meridian. I'll give you that injection once we're there."

"Yes, Doctor." Terry nodded and set off for the Pathfinders' quarters. They saw Suvi meet Terry, their embrace tight and desperate.

Lexi stopped Alec with a hand on his arm when he would have followed, waiting for the door to Terry's quarters to close behind her and Suvi. He looked at her curiously as he waited for her to say her piece. "Alec, even with Terry's help and that injection, this is going to be hard on your body. You may have to give up fieldwork."

"I know." He nodded, suddenly looking very tired. "After this mission, we'll be down to one human Pathfinder instead of two."

Lexi could help staring at him in surprise. She'd expected an argument, not an agreement. "You're not going to argue with me about retiring?"

"Harry's not the only one to realize he's getting too old," Alec replied with a rueful smile. "I'm just lucky I've lived long enough _to_ realize it."

She nodded her agreement. They'd come very close to losing him on Habitat 7. If he hadn't thought to use both his and Terry's emergency oxygen, they _would_ have. "Yes, you are. Now go get some rest."

"After one comm call," he promised.

Lexi nodded again. "Just one."

*

"Reyes." Of all the people he'd expected to contact him, Alec Ryder was _not_ on the list. He and Terry emailed each other often and she sometimes commed, but this was the first time Alec had contacted him.

He smiled charmingly at the man who might as well be his father-in-law. "Pathfinder, this is a _very_ pleasant surprise. Freddy isn't here, he--"

"I know." Alec interrupted, scrubbing his eyes. "The Archon kidnapped him. And SAM."

Reyes went _very_ still, his heart stopping for a moment. It'd just been a routine supply run to the Nexus. Quietly, he told Alec, "I haven't lost colors, so he's still alive."

"That's not the Archon's goal," Alec answered just as quietly, showing no sign of surprise at Reyes' admission.

Wondering if Alec already knew they were match, Reyes instead asked, "Why did he kidnap them, then?"

"For his implant." Alec tapped his left temple. "It's the same as mine and Terry's, so he'll use Freddy and SAM to take Meridian."

He gripped the edge of his desk tightly. Freddy had explained the significance of Meridian, so Reyes immediately understood the implications of the Archon having control of it. "Meridian? You found it?"

"We did, and that's when the Archon struck." Pausing, Alec took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm sure Freddy told you this, but the Archon will _destroy_ everything we've built if he gets control of Meridian. And he'll use Freddy and SAM to do it."

"Well, we can't have that now, can we?" Reyes asked with forced levity, picking up a datapad to compose messages for Keema and Christmas Tate, mayor of Ditaeon. "Not now that I finally have Kadara the way I want it."

A tiny smile curled Alec's mouth. "You _are_ a good man, Reyes Vidal."

"Shh, don't go telling everyone." He made a show of glancing around worriedly even though he _knew_ he was alone and the room was bug-free.

Alec gave a soft laugh and Reyes saw for a moment just how much Freddy looked like his father. "I'm sending the navpoint for Meridian." He tapped at his omni-tool and Reyes heard his own beep a second later. "See you there."

"See you." Once the call terminated, Reyes finished writing the messages and sent them. Keema would see to the disposition of the Collective and her fellow angara. They'd already planned for such a contingency, though Reyes hadn't expected Freddy's life to be at stake. Christmas, of course, would handle the colonists. This allowed Reyes to take a moment and bury his face in his hands. _If there **is** a higher power like Freddy believes, **please** keep him alive._ He indulged in worry and tears for only a few moments. Then he wiped his eyes, pushed back his worry, and started gathering all the gear he thought might help in the upcoming fight. They wouldn't lose any Ryders on _his_ watch.

*

"Terry!" Suvi closed the distance between them and flung her arms around Terry. "It was worse this time. The colors _faded_."

Despite the way her body protested, Terry held Suvi close, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. "Not my choice this time."

"I know." Suvi drew back enough to kiss Terry softly, and then led her into her quarters. "I heard Lexi say that you need rest."

Making a face, Terry reluctantly pulled away from Suvi once they were in her quarters to begin removing her armor. "Yeah, I could sleep for another six hundred years."

"Do all Ryders have this way with words?" Suvi wondered after a few moments of silence, helping Terry when she fumbled with buckles and straps. "I mean, Alec made me want to go charging into battle. Me!"

Terry laughed softly, remembering their first proper conversation. "I'll still teach you how to defend yourself. After we kick the Archon's ass."

Smiling, Suvi took a moment to gently stroke Terry's cheek. "The science team is keeping me updated on any breakthroughs they make that might help. I could tell that controlling the Remnant was hard for you and your father. And this... this is going to take more from you both."

"Yeah. Yeah, it did." She'd never promised Suvi the truth like she had Freddy, but she knew Suvi would appreciate it.

Cupping Terry's cheek, her expression turning urgent, Suvi said, "I need to know that you'll be okay. That you're going to come back."

"As long as I have you to come back to." Terry gently cupped Suvi's cheek in return.

Suvi smiled, turning her head to kiss Terry's palm. "You know you do."

"Then I'll come back," Terry told her, pressing her forehead against Suvi's.

Her voice quiet as they held each other, Suvi told her, "Losing colors temporarily is bad enough. I don't want to lose them permanently."

"I know." Terry gently tilted Suvi's chin up for a soft kiss.

Alec commented from the doorway, already out of his armor, "I'll do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen, Suvi."

"Oh!" Suvi turned to Alec, her cheeks turning red. "Alec!"

A tiny smile tugged at Alec's lips as he entered Terry's quarters and joined them. "I know you're worried, Suvi, but may I speak with Terry in private?"

"Yes, of course." Suvi reluctantly handed Terry the leg armor she'd been holding and stepped outside, the door sliding shut behind her.

Terry continued to remove her armor, already missing the touch of Suvi's hands. The next moment, Alec began to help her instead. Carefully setting her assault rifle aside, she asked, "What'd you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to tell you that I'm so proud of you," Alec told her, taking her pistol and setting it beside her assault rifle. "You have been so brave and so strong, not just here in Andromeda, but also back in the Milky Way."

She stared at him in the midst of unbuckling her chest armor, feeling hope rise in her chest. "What do you mean?"

"Of course you're making me spell it out." He smiled ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know you dealt with a lot of crap between being my kid and trans on top of that. I'm proud of the woman you've become despite that."

Terry blinked back the sting of tears and finished unbuckling her chest armor. "Your reaction when I came out to you didn't help at all."

"I know and I am very sorry for the way I reacted." He gently helped her remove it and set it aside, taking her hands the next moment. She looked up to meet his eyes, surprised by his apology, 600 years late. "I spoke before I realized what you were saying and both your mother and your brother read me the riot act after you stormed out."

Terry didn't say anything as she dropped her gaze to their clasped hands, remembering again how awful it'd felt when her own father denied who she was. "I won't lie, Dad. It hurt horribly that you didn't seem to accept me."

"I wanted to take it back the moment you stormed out." He reached up and gently tipped her chin up so violet eyes met violet again. "I _never_ stopped loving you. I just didn't know how to reach out to you and tell you that."

She gave a watery laugh, dashing away the tears that began to leak down her cheeks. "You never were good with feelings, Dad."

"No, I'm not," he conceded with a self-deprecating smile. "Your mother and Harry both had the patience of saints to put up with me." He turned his hand to cup her cheek now, his smile warm and fond in a way that she'd rarely seen since her mother died. "Then you came home, a strong, beautiful woman and I still had no idea _what_ to say or do."

Terry laughed, remembering her nerves about coming home. When she was finally face-to-face with her father, he'd acted as if nothing had changed. It'd hurt, but at least he hadn't rejected her again. "So you pretended everything was just fine between us."

"Yes, but I was so proud of the woman you'd become, Terry." He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. Terry drew in a breath at the familiar gesture, tears still falling freely. "You'd remained true to yourself and had the courage to transition. I am so very proud to call you my daughter."

She swallowed hard, trying to find her voice. All she could do was whisper, "Thanks, Dad."

"Always, Terry." He stepped closer and gathered her into a tight hug. She pressed her face into his shoulder, crying happily. She'd known for a while now that he'd accepted her, but having him explicitly confirm it affected her more than she thought it would.

Once she'd calmed down, Alec let Suvi back in. She frowned, worried, when she saw Terry's tear-streaked face. "Are you all right?"

"I'm wonderful, Suvi," Terry assured her, gathering her close as soon as she was close enough. Nudging her forehead against Suvi's, she whispered. "They're happy tears."

Suvi nodded, lightly kissing Terry. "Good. Now rest."

"Fuck yes." Terry sighed, climbing into bed.

She looked expectantly at Suvi, who glanced at Alec for a moment before stripping down to her halter top and shorts. Alec started towards the door, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "I'll leave you two for now."

"Stay, please?" Terry requested as Suvi climbed into bed with Terry. "At least for a little while."

Nodding, he grabbed the chair and set it beside the bed, taking Terry's hand once she and Suvi had curled up together. "I commed Reyes. He told me he hasn't lost colors."

"He wouldn't. The Archon needs Freddy alive." Terry quickly pressed her lips together, wondering if Alec already knew about Freddy and Reyes.

He had a reassuring smile on his face. "Freddy told me they're a match right after that business with Sloane. Besides, he trusts Reyes and I trust Freddy."

"I wondered if Freddy and Reyes were a match," Suvi remarked, blushing when Terry and Alec looked at her.

Smiling brightly, Terry kissed her. "I'm glad you and Reyes get along. You two are practically family now."

"Yes, you are," Alec confirmed with a nod. "We'll see him at Meridian and practically everyone in the cluster. The crew's been comming their friends and they've been comming _their_ friends. Gil has been refining his modifications to both the _Tempest_ and the Nomad, with Kallo's help."

The last tidbit of information made Terry smile. Gil and Kallo's feud over changing the _Tempest_ to adapt to life in Andromeda or leaving her as designed had been a headache for Alec. It was much better now that they were working together to modify the _Tempest_ , discussing each change they wanted to make, testing them, and then deciding whether to keep tinkering, go ahead and implement the change, or leave things as they were. "Those two are very dangerous together."

"I'll take that over their constant arguing," Alec replied with a huff of annoyance.

Suvi, pressed close to Terry, confided, "Kallo's been happier since they started working together. I hadn't realized how much Gil's changes bothered him until then."

"He keeps a lot to himself," Terry mused, kissing Suvi's temple. "Have he and Gil played poker against each other?"

Alec frowned. "Not that I'm aware of."

"That is something I would _love_ to see," Suvi told them with a giggle.

Alec smiled. "Playing against Gil was the first real poker challenge I'd had in a long time."

"Six hundred years, right, Dad?" Terry teased with a grin.

He grinned back, squeezing her hand gently. "A bit more than that."

"Pathfinders to the bridge," Kallo's voice announced via the comms. "We're approaching the navpoint for Meridian."

They sobered instantly. Terry and Suvi reluctantly climbed out of bed while Alec stood up and stretched. Before either could get dressed, he drew both women into a hug. Terry automatically wrapped an arm around Suvi's shoulders and the other around Alec's waist. After a moment of surprised hesitation, Suvi wound her arms around Terry and Alec in return. "I don't know what's coming, but we _will_ beat the Archon. We have the entire cluster backing us up."

"You're right, Dad, we will." Terry held them both tight.

Suvi, a little shyly, said, "I'm not SAM, but I'll do my best to help."

"I'm sure it will be enough," Alec told her, nudging his forehead against Terry's, and then, after a moment's consideration, Suvi's as well. "Welcome to the family."

With that, he gently disentangled himself from them and left, presumably to put his armor on. Suvi turned to Terry with a stunned expression. "Did he--"

"That was Dad's way of saying he approves of our relationship," Terry assured her, blinking back happy tears. "Not that a lack of approval would have stopped us."

Suvi held Terry tight. "We crossed the dark space between galaxies to meet each other. Parental disapproval won't keep us apart."

"No enemy fleet, no disapproving parents will keep us apart," Terry paraphrased with a grin.

Rolling her eyes, Suvi kissed Terry. "We should--"

"Terry, Suvi, stop kissing and get moving," Alec called through the door. "You can do that _after_ we kick the Archon's ass."

Stifling a giggle, Terry called back, "Yes, Dad!"

"Is it just me," Suvi began as she put her tunic, pants, boots, and gloves back on, "or has he been freer with his emotions lately?"

Terry shook her head, putting on her boots. "Not just you. He's slowly been relaxing since we got to Andromeda." A quiet voice in her head that sounded like a mix of Freddy and SAM said the difference had started after Habitat 7. After her first death. "Though I think meeting the angara and spending so much time with Jaal sped up the process a bit."

"Maybe." Now fully dressed, Suvi helped Terry buckle her leg armor into place. "I've noticed the thing you Ryders have with pressing your foreheads together."

Laughing a little, Terry told her, "I told you about me and Freddy having ear infections." Suvi nodded, helping to buckle the other leg armor into place. "Before we learned sign language, that was how Mom and Dad calmed us down if we started to panic. We weren't guaranteed to hear them saying 'breathe with me' or anything like that." She smiled sadly, remembering the first time her mother had done that for her. "With their forehead pressed against mine, though, I couldn't help but breathe with them."

"And it just became habit?" Suvi asked gently, helping Terry with her arm armor.

Terry nodded. "Yeah, it became a sign of our closeness. A way to communicate our feelings without saying a word, in _any_ language."

"I'm very honored," Suvi told her, adjusting the armor on her other arm. "I've seen you and Freddy do it plenty of times and _we've_ done it, but your father--"

She sighed deeply, adjusting her chest armor and holding it in place while Suvi buckled the buckles. "The last time I saw him do it before Andromeda was the day Mom died. Freddy and I left to give them privacy and, just before the door close behind us, I saw him bend down to press his forehead to hers."

"One last time," Suvi whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Her own voice hoarse, Terry drew Suvi close and pressed their foreheads together. "This won't be the last time for us."

"I'll hold you to that."

*

By the time the _Tempest_ arrived at Meridian with her fleet of Remnant ships, Alec and Terry stood on the bridge together. Suvi and Kallo were in their chairs on either side, the rest of their crew-- their _family_ waited at their posts. Their display lit up with the Archon's face. "You continue to defy your limitations. Impressive."

"We're ending this," Alec told him grimly. "And you're not just fighting me."

The Archon looked far too pleased with himself. "That is a waste."

"Freddy, you okay?" Terry demanded, gripping their console tightly.

They couldn't see him, but his voice was clear enough. "Just dandy, Terry. He wants to exalt everyone. If Heleus doesn't submit, he'll destroy entire planets."

"Yes." The Archon was unrepentant, not that Alec had expected otherwise of him. "And you're proof that I can. You still command Remnant, but that began with the SAM and the implant. And now I have both." He eyed the two of them as if they were little more than dirt. "I no longer need either of you. Since you insist on interfering..." he looked up for a moment and Suvi's fingers moved quickly across her console. "I'll give you my full attention."

His image disappeared from the display, leaving them looking at a flotilla of kett ships of all shapes and sizes. Suvi glanced up at them, blue eyes worried. "That's more than we expected."

"We've got this," Alec told her with more confidence than he felt as Kallo sent the Tempest dancing and weaving amongst the other ships as their own ships engaged the kett. Alec felt Terry's hand cover his and turned to meet her gaze. They stared at each other for a moment before reaching for their connection to the Remnant ships.

They could almost 'see' the Remnant ships attacking the kett. Over their comms, they heard someone report, "They're closing, all sides!"

"We need cover," another pilot reported. "Hug the Remnant."

A third pilot chimed in. "Rock and a hard place! Ryder! Ryder?"

"When your back's against the wall..." Alec started, opening his eyes to meet Terry's once again.

A smile slowly spread across her face as she finished, "If you can't run from it, use it."

"Kallo, how close can you edge the Scourge?" Alec asked, leaning towards him urgently.

He stared at Alec as if he'd lost his mind. "Too close? Why?"

"Bring us in tight so we can group the Remnant," Terry ordered him with a fierce grin. "We're using the cluster's biggest headache to our advantage."

Peebee called from her place at the back of the bridge. "The Scourge targets Remnant. If we play this right, it'll catch the kett as well."

"Understood." Kallo turned back to his console and directed the _Tempest_ towards the Scourge. With Alec and Terry's encouragement, the Remnant ships followed suit less gracefully.

Under Kallo's guidance, the _Tempest_ dodged around the Scourge tendrils reaching for the Remnant ships. The kett weren't so lucky and more than one crashed right into the Scourge. One of the pilots remarked via their comms, "Never been so glad to see that stuff!"

"Get the _Hyperion_ ," Alec ordered Suvi. When his image appeared, Alec practically snarled. "I've tied up your fleet, Archon. And you're not outrunning us in the _Hyperion_."

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Alec, Terry added, "There's no point in continuing this."

"You wish to force my hand," he replied, calmer than Alec would have liked. "So be it." He turned away, towards someone they couldn't see. "Unlike you and your 'family', I do not require an implant... I have yours." Alec and Terry shared a helpless glance when they heard Freddy cry out with pain. "You've made this much more difficult, 'Pathfinder.' But not for me."

Alec grasped Terry's hand tightly as Freddy continued to cry out with pain. The image of the Archon had disappeared, but they could see the _Hyperion_ approaching Meridian's surface. They stared as the triangular modules rippled, creating an opening large enough for the _Hyperion_. Holding Alec's hand, Terry said, "Kallo!"

"On it, Pathfinder!" Kallo replied, already sending the _Tempest_ rocketing after the _Hyperion_.

For a brief moment, they were blinded by bright white light. When their vision cleared, Alec wasn't sure he could believe his eyes. "Suvi, what are we looking at?"

"A wonder?" she offered in a soft, reverent voice.

Inside Meridian was a living world, looking just like any other planet they might have encountered in Andromeda. As they stared, the _Tempest's_ engines sputtered and died. They clung to their consoles as they lost altitude. Kallo and Suvi scrambled at their consoles as he reported, "Sorry, gravity's inverted."

"Can't see the _Hyperion_ ," Suvi informed them as the engines sputtered back to life and they climbed once again. "Extrapolating from last known position."

Kallo sounded calmer now as they sped through an impossibly blue sky. "It wasn't built for landing. We'll beat it down. Like it or not."

"Wherever the Archon goes to ground, that's where we're heading," Alec told them, sharing a look and a nod with Terry.

They marched back to the cargo bay, pulling their helmets on. The Nomad waited for them. Alec nodded to Terry, who called, "Drack, Jaal, you're with us."

"Harper, you're in charge once we drop," Alec added as Jaal and Terry climbed into the Nomad.

Drack and Alec climbed in and the doors swung down into place. They fastened their harnesses as Gil came over the comm: "Hot drop in five, four, three..."

The hatch opened and the Nomad fell towards the ground below them. Gritting his teeth, Alec hit the accelerator so they hit the ground running, zipping forward a short distance before stopping short at a sight he hadn't expected. "Holy..."

"Is that--" Terry peered out the window at the _Hyperion_ , drifting across the sky.

"'Pathfinder,' I've arranged a 'distraction' while I find Meridian control," the Archon told them far too casually. Alec spotted three kett ships speeding away from the _Hyperion_.

He shifted the Nomad into gear and followed their path as well as he could. Glancing between the kett ships and the terrain in front of him, he heard Suvi report, "The _Hyperion_ is nav-dead. That's why we lost it. Looks like maneuvering thrusters only."

"The Archon's betting we won't chase him with the ark at risk," Terry countered, sounding worried as the Nomad bounced over some rocks.

Kandros' voice answered her statement. "We'll guard the _Hyperion_."

"Kandros! Who's with you?" Alec asked, relaxing a little at the knowledge that more of their people had made it into Meridian.

Reyes' voice answered the question, his tone as light as ever. "The whole damn cavalry. You know I can't resist a party."

"We'll hold the kett, you secure Meridian," Evfra added as Alec sent the Nomad flying full speed off the edge of a cliff.

He nodded, grunting a little when they landed. "Let's find the Archon."

"Those are kett transports," Drack told him, pointing to kett ships flying past them.

Alec followed them as well as he could. He didn't let up when Nozomi contacted them, "Pathfinder? He's taken them."

"Captain Dunn?" Terry asked, leaning forward as if that would help.

She sounded distracted and worried. "The core is lit up like Christmas, but SAM isn't talking." Alec's hands squeezed the controls of the Nomad tight. "I think the Archon... shit, I don't know what he did. But he has Freddy." Alec heard Terry gasp, but didn't let it distract him from driving the Nomad. "Whatever Meridian can do... he'll try to take it."

"Just focus on flying," he told her firmly. "We'll find them."

He felt Terry grip his shoulder tightly. They would _not_ lose either Freddy or SAM.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The forehead thing: Terry meant she hadn't seen her dad press his forehead against another person's for a long moment. Light taps, yes, but a long moment that's very intimate? No.


	17. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ding dong, the Archon's dead!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the Archon's dead, it's time to figure out what to do next.
> 
> There's a temporary character death in this chapter, but they're brought back quickly.

Ignoring the Archon's fallen body and Meridian coming to life around them, Alec and Terry dashed to Freddy, slumped in the chair from the _Hyperion_. Crouching in front of the chair, she hesitated to touch her brother, not sure she wanted to know. Alec, kneeling beside the chair, pressed his fingers to Freddy's neck. After a short wait, he frowned. "SAM?"

"His heart has stopped," SAM replied and Terry choked out a sob, flinging herself into Freddy's lap. "I do not have the access to stimulate his cardiovascular core, but a jolt of electricity--"

Terry looked up at Alec hopefully, only distantly noticing that tears had streaked the dirt and sweat on his cheeks. "Yes! Like a defibrillator."

"We need electricity!" Alec called over his shoulder as they carefully eased Freddy out of the chair and stretched him out on the ground.

Jaal knelt between them, peeling off his gloves. "What do I need to do?"

"You're going to jump-start his heart," Terry explained as Alec accepted a knife from Drack and sliced open the top of Freddy's jumpsuit.

She carefully placed his hands, with guidance from SAM. Tense, Jaal asked, "How much electricity do I use?"

"Small, short bursts," SAM told him. "Just enough to stimulate his heart."

Terry and Alec stepped back, clinging to each other as Jaal focused, and then released a short burst of electricity through his hands. Freddy's body jerked, but his eyes remained closed. Keeping his hands in place, Jaal asked, "SAM?"

"No activity," SAM reported blandly.

Jaal nodded, taking a deep breath. "Same amount of electricity or more?"

"The same," SAM replied.

Focusing again, Jaal released another burst of electricity. Freddy's body jerked again and he gasped a moment later, reaching up to grip Jaal's arm. Voice hoarse, he asked, "Trying to feel me up, Jaal?"

"Oh, Freddy." Stumbling forward, Terry knelt beside him and rested her hand on Jaal's back. "He brought you back to us."

Coughing a little, Freddy slowly pushed himself upright. "Thanks, Jaal."

"Always, Freddy." Jaal hugged them both, and then carefully stood up.

Alec took his place the next moment, gathering both children into a tight hug. Terry and Freddy returned the hug, each with one arm around their father and the other arm around their twin. Their foreheads pressed together, Freddy asked, "Please tell me we won."

"Yep. We kicked the Archon's sorry ass once and for all," Terry assured him, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

Alec smiled tearfully at his children. "We did it together."

"I hate to interrupt," Cora gently told them. "There's a lot of people waiting for us outside."

Reluctantly, they eased back from the hug. Alec and Terry stood up, each taking one of Freddy's hands in order to pull him to his feet. He groaned once he was upright. "Ooooh, I think I'll leave the dying and coming back to Terry from now on."

"Suvi would prefer that I _never_ do that again," Terry retorted as they headed towards a gravity well nearby, Alec and Terry on either side of Freddy, helping him along.

Freddy's steps faltered. "Shit. Reyes."

"He's on Meridian," Alec told him quietly. "Probably waiting for us."

Terry lightly bumped her forehead against Freddy's. "Let's not keep him waiting, hmm?"

"How many people came?" Freddy asked, his voice muffled because he'd pressed his face into Alec's neck while they took the gravity well up.

Terry rubbed his back comfortingly while Alec told him, "Pretty much everyone in Heleus."

"We all had a stake in stopping the Archon," Terry added as they stepped onto solid ground.

Freddy nodded, slowly straightening up. Their crew behind them, the three Ryders exited the central complex together. As Cora had predicted, a large group of people waited for them outside. Lexi dashed through the crowd from a nearby shuttle. Taking Freddy's weight, she helped him to the shuttle. Through the crowd, Terry saw Reyes slip aboard the shuttle before it took off. Alec wrapped his arm around Terry's shoulders. "I'd say you've more than earned the title of Pathfinder, Terry."

"I-- you-- what?" Terry turned to stare at her father in surprised wonder.

Before he could respond, Suvi's voice called from the crowd, "Terry! I'm getting insane readings from all over the cluster. What you've done here is... it's just amazing!"

"Put the omni-tool down, Suvi," Terry gently told her as she approached them, her eyes glued to her omni-tool. "You can look at that later."

She didn't seem to hear, tapping away at her omni-tool. "Look at all this data. The energy spikes from the biogenesis alone are--" she faltered when Terry gently pressed a finger to her lips, finally looking up. "... mind-boggling?"

"I know I can't compete with your first love, but..." Cupping the back of Suvi's neck, Terry kissed her, soft and sweet.

As she pressed their foreheads together, Alec casually moved forward, incidentally blocking any vids that may have filmed the kiss. "This is a great day for the Initiative. Working together, we fought the kett and _stopped_ them. Thanks to Meridian, Heleus will soon be home."

"We made it," Terry whispered, kissing Suvi again.

Another shuttle landed nearby as the crowd broke up and Harry emerged, looking grim and determined. Both Alec and Terry climbed in without arguing. After a moment of hesitation, Suvi climbed in, too, and sat beside Terry. While the shuttle took off, Harry scanned them and prepared injections, muttering, "You Ryders have always been idiots, but activating Remnant without help from SAM?"

"If we _hadn't_ , Harry," Alec interrupted firmly, "we wouldn't be sitting here."

Harry studied his datapad for several moments. "For now, I don't want _any_ of you to even _attempt_ to do anything except go back to the _Hyperion_ and sleep."

"Yes, Uncle Harry," Terry answered, stifling a yawn.

She felt Suvi coax her into lying down and gladly stretched out with her head in Suvi's lap. Across the shuttle, she saw her father stretch out with his head in Harry's lap. A familiar tune began to play and Terry fell asleep before they were even halfway to the _Hyperion_.

*

While everyone's attention was on Alec and Terry, Reyes stayed back and slipped onto the shuttle before the hatch could close. Freddy smiled weakly at him in greeting. "Hi, Reyes."

"Hi yourself, Freddy," Reyes replied, waiting until Lexi finished with Freddy and gave him a slight nod before he sat down beside his lover and gathered him into a tight hug.

Much to his relief, Freddy hugged him back as tight as he could. "I'm here, I'm alive."

"I've always seen colors," Reyes whispered, pressing his forehead to Freddy's, gazing into those beloved violet eyes. "Today was the first time I only saw shades of gray."

Taking Reyes' hand, Freddy placed it over his heart, which was beating steadily. "It's beating, I assure you."

"Did someone feel you up?" Reyes asked with raised eyebrows, realizing that his hand was resting against bare skin.

Blinking in confusion, Freddy looked down at his chest. "Oh. Right. They must've cut my jumpsuit open so Jaal could--"

"Wait, _Jaal_ used his bioelectricity to re-start your heart?" Lexi interrupted, looking very interested and intrigued by the idea.

Freddy shrugged, looking hesitant. "Yes? I was a little busy being dead at the time."

"Remind me to thank him later," Reyes told him, tightening his arms around Freddy at the reminder of those few terrifying moments when the blue sky around him and the green grass below turned gray.

Lexi had been busy with her omni-tool, tapping away at it. "Harry has your father and sister in another shuttle headed back to the _Hyperion_."

"Good." Freddy sighed and rested his head on Reyes' shoulder. "SAM told me that Terry--"

Looking strained and perturbed, Lexi nodded. "Yes. Alec didn't, but Cora and Drack said he was inconsolable and--"

"Three fucking times," Freddy muttered, only to yawn the next moment. "Dammit."

Reyes pressed a kiss to Freddy's temple. "Rest. You've been through a lot."

"Wanna see Terry," he muttered, even as he began to slump forward into Reyes' lap.

He helped Freddy lay down properly, stroking his hair tenderly. "You will. When you wake up."

"He's asleep," the doctor told him after a quick scan. Then she offered him her hand. "It's good to see you again, Reyes."

Reyes shook it, offering a sheepish smile. "It's good to see you again, too, Lexi, despite the unfortunate circumstances."

"Indeed." She smiled wryly and he laughed. "You may stay with him as long as you give us the space to work."

He raised his eyebrows again. "Us?"

"Myself and Dr. Harry Carlyle," she clarified. "He's the head doctor on the _Hyperion_ and an old family friend to the Ryders."

Reyes nodded, remembering a few stories that Freddy had shared. "I'll stay out of the way. I don't want to leave his side yet."

"I understand." Lexi smiled gently just as the shuttle landed.

Two humans waited with a gurney the moment the hatch opened. Reyes and Lexi helped load Freddy onto it and wheeled him out of the docking bay. One of the strangers asked, "Where to, Dr. T'Perro? The cryo bay?"

"SAM node," Lexi told them as they wheeled the gurney onto the tram.

Reyes saw surprise on both faces, but neither objected. A short tram ride later, they emerged into organized chaos as crew members worked to fix damage, clean up messes, and clear away bodies, both human and kett. Walking alongside the gurney, Reyes wondered if he should be glad that he'd been assigned to the Nexus instead of the _Hyperion_. After a short walk, they wheeled the gurney into a small, quiet room with a router of some kind at the end. The abstract image shifted in shape and color as SAM's familiar voice said, "Greetings, Lexi, Mr. Vidal."

"Hello, SAM. How's your connection to Freddy's implant?" Lexi asked, dismissing the two humans with a nod.

Reyes glanced down at Freddy as SAM replied, "It was not disrupted the way my connection to Alec and Terry was. I am partially reconnected to their implants, but they will need to come here for full connectivity."

"Harry's bringing them," Lexi told him, gesturing for Reyes to help her shift Freddy's gurney.

As they parked it to one side, Reyes asked, "Why did we bring Freddy here if he doesn't need--"

"From past experience, Terry and Freddy will wish to hold each other while they sleep," SAM explained before Lexi could.

She nodded her agreement. "Alec will wish to stay near them, too, I imagine. He sat with Terry while they rested on their way here."

"They are almost here," SAM informed them after a short wait.

Another minute and the door slid open to admit two more gurneys, escorted by an older human man in a doctor's uniform. Suvi followed the gurneys in, looking worried. The moment the man saw Lexi, he explained, "Your cocktail wore off. They're both mostly exhausted, but show signs of damage from operating the Remnant without SAM's help."

"A hardwire connection will allow me to reconnect fully with their implants," SAM informed them while Lexi took notes. They guided first Terry, and then Alec's gurneys close to the console in front of SAM's router. "I am fully reconnected to both Alec and Terry's implants."

Both Lexi and the strange man (Reyes assumed he was Harry Carlyle) nodded, tapping away on their datapads. Suvi finally spoke up, "Will they be all right, SAM? There won't be lasting damage to any of them?"

"We cannot be sure, Suvi," SAM replied calmly. "Only time will tell in this case."

She nodded, looking worried for a moment. "Thank you for your honesty, SAM."

"You can stay, Suvi," Lexi told her gently.

Harry glanced at Suvi and nodded. "Yes, of course." He finished taking notes and told her, "Well, the Pathfinder team is your responsibility, Lexi, so I'll leave you to it."

"Thank you, Harry." She took his hand and shook it firmly.

Returning the handshake, Harry left SAM node, though he seemed reluctant for a moment. Reyes noticed Freddy shifting on his gurney, clearly agitated. "Lexi, Freddy..."

"Dad-- Terry," Freddy muttered as she hurried over, followed by Suvi.

Lexi scanned him with her omni-tool, frowning. "He was fine--"

"He probably wants to be near Terry," Suvi suggested, leaning forward to tell him, "They're all right, Freddy."

Reyes stood up. "Should we move him?"

"Yes, let's put him between Alec and Terry," Lexi agreed after a moment's thought.

It took some maneuvering, but they were able to eventually push Freddy's gurney into place between Alec and Terry's. SAM suggested pushing them flush against each other. "In the past, I've noted that Freddy and Terry at least will curl up together."

"Yes, of course." Lexi nodded. The gurneys could be connected to each other, so they did that to ensure they didn't move away from each other as the Ryders slept.

As they watched, the twins shifted towards each other in their sleep, curling around each other. Much to Reyes' surprise, Alec shifted towards them as well, eventually curling around Freddy's back as if to protect him. Quietly, Suvi murmured, "He almost lost both of them. I can't imagine what he's going through."

Lexi sighed softly just as SAM reported, "The rest of the Pathfinder crew are starting to ask to see them."

"I'll go talk to them," Lexi replied. She looked at Reyes and Suvi. "You two can stay for now. Don't forget to get some rest yourselves."

With that, she left. Alone except for the three sleeping Ryders, he offered a smile and his hand. "Nice to see you again, Suvi."

"I'm glad to see you, too, Reyes." She shook his hand with a shy smile of her own. "I heard you on the comms earlier."

He nodded, glancing over at the three Ryders. Much to his amusement, Freddy was practically hidden now between his father and sister. "Had to let them know I'd come."

"We know how much you care about Freddy," she murmured quietly. "I don't think Terry or Alec doubted that you'd come."

Reyes nodded again, swallowing hard. Just as quietly, he asked, "How could I not?"

"I know exactly how that feels," Suvi replied, looking up at him with knowing blue eyes.

He smiled and offered his hand once more. "I have a feeling we're going to be spending a lot of time together over the next couple days."

"I have a feeling you're right." She shook his hand again.

*

"Suvi." She stirred at the sound of her name, but didn't want to get up. She was too comfortable. "Suvi, wake up."

She batted away the hand shaking her shoulder. "Nnnh."

"Suvi, you need to get up," Terry whispered, kissing her cheek.

Her eyes flew open and she stared at her beloved with wide eyes and a bright smile. "Terry!"

"Shhh." Terry pressed a finger to her lips, and then pointed over her shoulder with the other hand. "There's a couple sleeping beauties here."

Suvi followed Terry's indication and raised her eyebrows. Freddy had his back pressed against Terry's, asleep, and facing Reyes, who had his face pressed into Freddy's neck. Suvi looked around curiously. They weren't in SAM node anymore, but some sort of private quarters. Lexi stood beside the bed, looking amused. "Oh, hi, Lexi."

"Hello, Suvi." Lexi waited while she stifled a yawn in Terry's shoulder. "The science team on the Nexus is a little worried. You stopped transmitting abruptly."

Smiling shyly, Suvi looked pointedly at Terry. Her lover smiled unrepentantly. "I wanted to kiss you. Can you blame me?"

"No, I can't." Smiling, Suvi kissed Terry softly. "However, I really should contact them and let them know that nothing bad happened to me."

Terry tried to keep Suvi from slipping from the bed, but not as hard as she might have. "I'll miss you while you're gone."

"You need more rest," Lexi told Terry firmly.

Grumbling, Terry turned over to spoon against Freddy's back. He shifted in his sleep to catch one of Terry's hands and hold it. Smiling, she lightly bumped her forehead against the back of his skull and sighed deeply as she drifted off to sleep. Reyes grumbled and tightened his arms around Freddy. Suvi shook her head and accepted her boots from Lexi, following her from the room to put them on outside. As she did, she realized where they were: the Pathfinder's quarters on the _Hyperion_. "Oh, my goodness."

"Are you all right, Suvi?" Lexi asked, looking concerned.

She nodded, straightening up. "Yes, I just didn't realize--"

"Good to see you awake, Suvi," Alec greeted her as he approached them with Harry beside him. "How are the twins?"

Lexi answered the question briskly. "Sleeping peacefully. Reyes is still with them."

"Maybe we should put a cot in there," Alec muttered with a chuckle. "Evicted from my bed by my own children."

Suvi giggled, half-tempted to tell him that there was space for him now that she was up. Before she could say anything, Harry told Alec, "Not a chair, at any rate. Your back and neck wouldn't forgive you."

"I'm not as young as I used to be," Alec agreed with a sigh. He looked at Lexi. "Aside from needing rest, they're still fine?"

She nodded, taking the opportunity to scan Alec. He made a face, but held still all the same. Suvi pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles. _Terry makes that same face!_ "You should rest, too, Alec. There's room on the bed for you or we can request a cot."

"I'll share. I don't want to be too far from the twins right now," he replied. Turning to Harry, Alec hugged him briefly. "Keep me updated."

Harry returned the hug. "As long as you follow doctor's orders and _rest_."

"Yes, yes." Stepping back, Alec took both of Lexi's hands in his and squeezed them gently. "Thank you, Lexi. For everything."

She nodded, returning the squeeze. "Of course, Alec."

"Suvi." He stopped in front of her and she looked up at him a little nervously. He smiled warmly and pulled her into a tight hug. She hugged him back, her heart thumping in her chest. Tears stung her eyes when he pressed his forehead to hers. Quietly, he told her, "When she was dying, Terry's last thoughts were of us, Suvi. Whatever the future brings, remember that."

She let out a shuddering breath, remembering how helpless she'd felt as the colors slowly faded from the world around her, leaving only grays. Her throat tight, she managed to whisper, "I will, Alec. Thank you."

"Always, Suvi." Smiling tightly, he kissed her forehead, and then released her to head into the Pathfinder quarters.

Lexi offered Suvi a handkerchief when she joined her and Harry. Once she'd wiped away the tears that had managed to escape, Harry offered his hand to her. "It's good to see you again, Suvi, despite the circumstances."

"Yes, it's good to see you, too, Harry." She smiled shyly, shaking his hand. "Have you seen much of Meridian?"

He shook his head as Lexi urged them to start walking. "No, just what I can see through the windows. It's amazing."

"I can't wait to have a closer look myself," Suvi told him with an eager smile. "I don't want to go too far just yet."

He nodded, glancing back towards the Pathfinder quarters. "Going by that little display, Terry won't want you to go far, either."

"She told me what it means," Suvi admitted as they walked along. "I'm deeply honored and a little terrified."

Harry chuckled, green eyes twinkling with amusement. "You're a very wise young woman. The Ryders have always been a little reckless, Pathfinder duties aside."

"Adding SAM into the mix just makes them worse in some ways," Lexi added with an exasperated sigh.

Suvi giggled as they stepped out into the main area. "Suvi! There you are!"

"Oh, hi, Kallo." Suvi blinked in surprise when he hugged her. "What's wrong?"

He gave her a stern look. "You disappeared!"

"You can hardly expect me to leave Terry's side, can you?" she asked, touched by his worry.

Gil piped up from nearby, "We're still trying to account for our losses after the battle. Lexi told us you were with the Ryders, but Kallo wanted to see you with his own eyes."

"I'm fine, I promise you," she told them, amused and touched now. "I need to report to the science team on the Nexus, but then you can tell me everything I've missed."

Both nodded and hovered nearby as she contacted Dr. Aridana and the others. Once she'd finished assuring them she was fine, too, Kallo and Gil dragged her off to join the rest of the Pathfinder team. Jaal, Liam, and Peebee all greeted her with exuberant hugs (Jaal's lifted her feet on the deck). Cora, after a moment of indecision, hugged Suvi as well. Vetra patted her on the back and Drack punched her shoulder. As she settled between Gil and Jaal for a nice chat with everyone, she learned that they'd seen Alec, but neither of the twins had made a public appearance yet. Suvi assured them that both were alive and well, just exhausted. It pleased her to know that they all cared so much about the Ryders.

*

For once, when Terry woke up, the only other people in the Pathfinder quarters on the _Hyperion_ were her dad and brother. She was curled up with her brother on the bed while Alec sat at the computer terminal, reviewing some sort of data. Though Terry tried not to disturb Freddy when she sat up, he grumbled and peered up at her with bleary eyes. "Wazzit, Terry?"

"Hello, sleepyheads," Alec remarked with a smile before Terry could say anything, standing up and crossing over to perch at the foot of the bed. "Lexi and Harry have both cleared us for today's party."

Freddy sat up, a smile spreading across his face. "A party?"

"Yes, to celebrate finding Meridian," Alec nodded, looking amused.

Terry stifled a sigh. She didn't like big parties, but that's probably what this one would be. "Before we go, Dad, you said something the day we kicked the Archon's ass..."

"I meant it, Terry." He leaned forward to take her hand, his expression completely sincere. "You've proven to be the leader our people will need in the years to come."

Freddy looked between them, his eyes wide. "Wait, you're stepping down as Pathfinder, Dad?"

"I'm the same age as Harry," Alec reminded them. "I'm too damn old to keep going, even with SAM's help."

Terry tightened her grip on his hand. "Are you sure about this, Dad?"

"Absolutely, Terry." He covered their clasped hands with his other one. "Are you willing to shoulder the responsibility entirely?"

She remained silent for several moments, thinking about it. It'd been reassuring to have her father there, to share the duties. Still, she knew it'd been hard for him and Harry, being separated by their different responsibilities. Terry looked up to meet her father's eyes. "Yes, I'm willing, Dad. What will _you_ do once you're no longer Pathfinder?"

"We have a whole entire world to explore," Alec replied, his gesture encompassing Meridian around them. "I'll be in charge of that." He raised his eyebrows. "Ready, Terry?"

Terry nodded decisively. "Ready, Dad."

"Very well. SAM, transfer the last of the Pathfinder protocols to Terry Ryder," Alec stated, clearly and firmly.

SAM spoke up calmly, "Acknowledged, Alec. Commencing final transfer." Terry closed her eyes, her grip on Alec's hand tightening as new information flooded into her mind: security protocols and encryptions for the highest levels of classified information. "Transfer complete. Terry Ryder is now the sole human Pathfinder."

"Mmm, wow." Terry shook her head slightly and slowly opened her eyes. Both Alec and Freddy were watching her with concern. "That... I wasn't expecting that."

Alec nodded, smiling wryly, "It feels strange for me, too. SAM's been in my head for so long that it's strange to _not_ have him there."

"Are you all right, Terry?" Freddy asked, taking Terry's hand.

Terry nodded, squeezing his hand. "Yeah, I just need time to get used to it."

"Pathfinder, the Nexus leaders are waiting to speak with you," SAM informed them.

It took a moment for her to remember that she was the Pathfinder. She reluctantly let go of Alec and Freddy's hands and scooted to the edge of the bed. "Better not keep them waiting."

"You might want to get dressed, first," Alec reminded her with a smile twitching at his mouth.

Terry glanced down at herself and blushed. She was still wearing the pajama shirt and shorts Suvi had brought from the _Tempest_. "Right, good idea."

"I'll go with you," Freddy added, also getting up.

Terry found her clothes and changed into them. "Thanks, Freddy."

"We'll both go with you," Alec added.

Once they were all dressed and ready, they left the Pathfinder quarters. Director Tann, Addison, Kesh, and Kandros stood in the corridor, not far from SAM node. They all turned towards the three of them. Tann stepped forward, "Ah, Pathfinders. You're late."

"What do you need, Director?" Terry asked, a little nervous about asserting herself.

Tann looked between her and Alec, his confusion clear. Coughing slightly, Alec said, "I have stepped down fully as the human Pathfinder. Terry has officially taken over the role."

"I... see." Tann turned to Terry. "Then this decision falls to _you_ , Terry."

She raised her eyebrows curiously. "What decision?"

"Initiative protocol," Kesh explained, looking for a moment as if she approved. "Thanks to you and your family, we can finally proceed as intended."

Addison nodded. "As outposts become colonies, the cluster needs its own voice. A true council."

"And while I maintain that it is premature, we must nominate an interim ambassador to represent concerns outside the Nexus," Tann added, looking somewhat nettled. "Or, rather, _you_ must nominate someone."

Terry frowned, wishing she'd paid more attention to how the Initiative had planned to run things. She hadn't expected to be the Pathfinder, either, but here she was. "Interim ambassador? To what, and for who?"

"To the Nexus," Tann explained. "The eventual goal was always a galactic council. But Meridian has... accelerated concerns."

Addison clarified, "An ark has landed. The vaults may make outposts self-sufficient. And we can't claim to represent a sovereign Angara." Terry nodded, silently conceding the point. "An interim ambassador would represent concerns outside the Nexus. Until elections, when we can all step aside."

"At the appropriate time," Tann quickly interjected.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Terry said, "I can handle a hot potato, but why throw it to me in the first place?" She glanced at Alec. "Or any of us?"

"Because we need it to be legitimate," Addison told her.

Kandros finally offered his opinion, "We can't impose a vote on the angara. Or even Kadara. Elaaden? Won't happen."

"But you and your family have acted for everyone." Tann finished. "If you or your father endorses a name, some may disagree, but they will trust it as a starting point."

Terry tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Someone to speak for Heleus..."

"I put forward Pathfinder Hayjer," Tann quickly offered. "I'd suggest you or your father, but someone might think you killed the Archon to elevate yourselves. We can't allow the appearance of that." Over Tann's shoulder, Terry saw Alec shaking his head, looking panicked. Not that she blamed him. Neither of them were diplomats. Freddy had inherited Ellen's people skills. "But Hayjer keeps the position--and timeline--in the Nexus family."

She bit the inside of her cheek to stifle her immediate thought that Tann had, of _course_ , nominated a fellow salarian. _Being a Pathfinder is a full-time job. He wouldn't have **time** to be an ambassador._ After giving the matter considerable thought, she said, "If we want stability, maybe we should ensure the krogan stay. How about Morda?"

Kesh laughed and Terry could see Alec smiling proudly. Tann glanced at Kesh, and then told Terry flatly, "You are out of your mind."

"It's definitely... unorthodox," Addison offered, clearly trying to be diplomatic herself.

"You want the Pathfinder to pick a voice, I'm picking Morda," Terry told them firmly. She met Kesh's surprised gaze. "I think the krogan have waited long enough for a seat on a council."

Tann turned to Alec. "This is _your_ fault."

"My father had no influence on my choice beyond setting an example for me to follow if I so chose," Terry told him, deliberately stepping into Tann's personal space, glaring up at him. "The krogan have been mistreated for far too long by everyone else." She slowly turned in place to meet their eyes in turn as she continued. "They are not thugs, brutes, cannon fodder, or heavy lifters." She glared up at Tann as she made a deliberate reference to something he'd said when the _Hyperion_ first arrived at the Nexus. "They are every bit our equals and it's a about damn time we started treating them that way."

Tann cleared his throat when she continued to glare up at him. "Well, this certainly colors Meridian's opening day."

"Don't worry, Number Eight," Kesh told him, looking quite pleased. "You'll be fine."

The others all left, heading towards the habitation area, where Terry could distantly hear music playing. Alone for the moment, Alec and Freddy hugged Terry tightly. "Well done, Terry."

"Thanks, Dad." She laughed a little, relieved that he approved.

Freddy laughed. "I don't think Dad would have explained his reasoning _quite_ the way you did, but he's not a history buff."

"No, I'm not, but it was sound reasoning," Alec kissed her cheek.

Terry's pleasure at her father's approval was cut short by a sudden stab of pain in her temple. "Ouch!"

"Pathfinder, please visit SAM node so I can make an adjustment to my connection to your implant," SAM replied before Alec or Freddy could ask what was wrong.

She nodded and headed down the corridor to SAM node.

*

"We have a stop to make before we join the party," Alec told the twins once Terry finished in SAM node, guiding them through the crowd to the lift. They stopped to speak with the various _Tempest_ crew members along the way, most of whom hadn't seen the twins since they defeated the Archon. They were all glad to see Terry and Freddy up and about at last.

They finally got to the lift and Alec sent it towards the cryo bay. "So, where are we going, Dad?"

"There's... something I need to tell you," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck. He'd always planned to tell his children the truth about Ellen. Now that the moment had come, he couldn't find the words. "Honestly, I should've told you before now, but well--"

Freddy interrupted him with a chuckle and a bump of his shoulder. "You're not very articulate when it comes to personal matters."

"Yeah." Alec laughed and led them off the lift once it stopped. "I just don't want to say the wrong thing. Again."

Here, he glanced at Terry, who smiled in response. "Just _tell_ us, Dad."

"Actually, it'd be easier to _show_ you." Alec led them into the cryo bay. For once, it was deserted. The business of waking up new colonists was suspended for the day so the _Hyperion_ 's medical staff could enjoy the party.

At their entrance, Harry looked up from his omni-tool. "Ready?"

"It's time," Alec confirmed with a nod. He wasn't sure how the twins would react, but they _needed_ to know. Especially since Terry was now the sole human Pathfinder.

Nodding, Harry led them back to the pod bays. Many were empty now, the colonists already spreading across Meridian and the other outposts. Taking Terry's hand, Freddy asked, "What are you showing us, exactly?"

"What's going on?" Terry added, squeezing Freddy's hand firmly.

Alec gestured to the pod Harry had waiting for them. "Take a scan."

"You're not going to--" Harry stopped with a sigh when both twins lifted their omni-tools to scan the cryo pod.

Shaking his head, Harry stepped back to stand by Alec's side while they waited for the twins to figure it out. "These readings... they're familiar."

"Her name: Elizabeth Reilly..." Freddy added, looking at his sister. "E. R."

Terry stared back at him. "Ellen Ryder. Mom?"

In sync, they turned to Alec. "She's _alive_?"

"Yes, she is," Alec confirmed with a nod, bracing himself for their reactions.

Alec wasn't sure if he was surprised or not that Freddy reacted first. "Why didn't you say anything before now?"

"Well, there wasn't any point before we left the Milky Way," Alec explained, having expected _one_ of them to ask. "Then, once we _got_ here, it's been such a clusterfuck that there wasn't really a good time to tell you until now."

Terry had been staring intently at the cryo pod, as if she could see Ellen inside it. She turned to Alec now, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Why now, Dad? And why bring her at _all_?"

"What do you mean, Terry?" Freddy frowned at her.

Terry moved so she was practically toe-to-toe with Alec. "Mom had accepted her death, Dad. She even urged us to move on! And you put her in _stasis_."

"What if it was Suvi with a terminal illness?" Alec asked quietly. He hated suggesting the idea, but it was the best way to prove his point. "Or Reyes? Wouldn't you prefer to put them in stasis until we've found a cure? Not just for them or Ellen, but everyone."

Terry poked him in the chest with her finger. "That still doesn't make it _right_ , Dad."

"You put her in stasis against her stated wishes," Freddy added, joining his sister. "She's going to be annoyed when we finally wake her up."

She eyed Freddy with some surprise. "When, not if?"

"Have some faith, sis," Freddy countered with a grin.

Terry looked at Harry. "What about you, Uncle Harry? What's your opinion on this?"

"It goes against my medical ethics, yes," Harry admitted with a nod, and then looked at the cryo pod. "That aside, I'm glad that she's not dead, that we still have a chance to find a cure."

Sighing, Terry's shoulders slumped. "Fuck."

"Terry?" Freddy rested a hand on her shoulder.

She covered his hand with hers. "I'm angry on Mom's behalf, but I'm also happy that we haven't lost her after all."

"I get it." Freddy gathered Terry into a hug and she hugged him back, holding tight to his shirt.

A little hesitantly, Alec reached out to rest a hand on Terry's back. After a moment, she reached out and pulled him into the hug, too. The next moment, Harry joined the hug as well. As he held his family, Alec's eyes rested on Ellen's cryo pod. _Soon, Ellen. We'll find a cure for you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always intended for Alec to tell the twins. They deserved to know.


	18. Family Growth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the immediate threat of the Archon gone, it's time to focus on other matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of loose ends to tie up here.

When Reyes hadn't been spending time with Freddy and his family, he'd been busy helping with a preliminary survey of Meridian. It was a beautiful world and he envied the people who'd get to explore it in more depth. He'd also taken the opportunity to network a little for both the Collective and Ditaeon. At the moment, however, he was just enjoying the party, waiting for the Ryders to finally show up. He'd just finished a drink when Suvi reached his side. "Reyes."

"Suvi." He raised his eyebrows when she grabbed his hand and started tugging him through the crowd. "What's going on?"

Still holding his hand, she informed him, "I'm not sure, but SAM said the Pathfinders requested our presence in the cryo bay."

"Why are they in the cryo bay?" Reyes asked, following more to avoid the indignity of being dragged through the crowd.

Suvi shrugged and they finally reached the tram. "I don't know. SAM didn't say."

"Hmm." He leaned back against the railing as Suvi used her omni-tool to send it to the cryo bay. When they emerged, they found the area deserted. "This _is_ the cryo bay, yes?"

The doors at the foot of the stairs slid open and Harry Carlyle waved to them. "Suvi, Reyes. They're in here."

"There's our answer." Suvi laughed and started down the stairs.

Reyes followed a few steps behind her. Harry led them through the empty cryo bay into the pod bay, which was largely empty, except for the three Ryders. They turned at their approach, both Terry and Freddy's faces lighting up. Suvi took Terry's extended hand and Reyes grasped Freddy's gladly. After kissing his lover in greeting, Reyes asked, "What's going on?"

"We'd like you two to meet our mother," Freddy explained, gesturing to the stasis pod waiting in front of them.

Her arm around Suvi's waist, Terry added with a faint scowl at her father, "Apparently, _someone_ put her in stasis before she died."

"We already discussed this," Alec countered with a sigh and a shake of his head.

Suvi studied the stasis pod for several moments, and then looked at Alec, "You hope we can find a cure for her here in Heleus."

"We already know the angara are immune to TH-314," Harry pointed out, moving to Alec's side. "Thanks to that, the Nexus science team and angaran volunteers have begun to develop a cure for it. Perhaps something similar will happen for AEND."

Reyes raised his eyebrows, unable to help being skeptical, "It seems too much to hope that the angara will be immune to more than one Milky Way disease."

"Or perhaps we make use of the kett's genetic research," Alec suggested. "It's far beyond what we'd achieved in the Milky Way."

Freddy nodded, kissing Reyes's cheek. "The point is, we have a chance to cure Mom and we should at least _try_."

"Yeah." Terry nodded, her voice hoarse, and Suvi turned to hug her tightly.

Reyes glanced at Freddy curiously. "What's wrong with Terry?"

"Technically, Mom didn't _ask_ to be put in stasis, but Dad did it anyway," Freddy whispered. "Terry's upset on her behalf for that, but she's also happy that we haven't lost Mom anyway."

Before he could reply, Harry wrapped an arm around Alec's shoulders. "I like to think that Ellen would be happy in the end to be alive."

"Yeah. She regretted that wouldn't get to see you two find your matches," Alec added, turning to face them, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist.

Reyes tilted his head curiously. None of the others seemed surprised by Alec and Harry's behavior, so he asked the question that had been niggling at him: "Are you two _also_ a match?"

"I wondered when you'd ask," Suvi added while the twins and Harry laughed at Alec's astonished expression.

Catching his breath, Harry pointed out, "You don't let just _anyone_ into your personal space, Alec."

"Good point." Alec dipped his head slightly in concession. "To answer your question, Reyes: yes, I started seeing colors when I met Harry. They became more intense when I met Ellen after the Charon Expedition."

Harry shrugged slightly when they looked at him. "I'd always seen colors while I was growing up, though they became more intense after I met Ellen and even _more_ when I met Alec."

"You didn't act on it?" Reyes asked curiously.

He shook his head with a wry smile. "Being a match doesn't automatically mean romance, despite what popular human literature would have us believe."

"It took Ellen and I becoming engaged for Harry to realize that he loved us romantically rather than platonically," Alec clarified with a fondly exasperated smile for Harry.

The twins nodded and Freddy added, "That's why Mom and Dad named Uncle Harry our godfather. Especially since he couldn't live with us on the Citadel."

"Why not?" Reyes frowned, wondering if there was something he didn't know about Alliance society since he'd been raised outside it.

Quietly, Suvi told him, "Poly relationships were still frowned on by Alliance society. It was best to keep it quiet."

"But that was the Alliance and the Milky Way," he pointed out. "Why not be more open about your relationship here in Andromeda?"

Alec sighed heavily. "We didn't want to deal with questions while we're trying to make a life for ourselves here."

"And force of habit," Harry added with a rueful chuckle.

Freddy pointed out, "Since Dad's going to stay on Merdian now, it'll be harder to keep the relationship quiet."

"Wait, what?" Suvi looked from Alec to Terry, her eyes wide. "Does this mean...?"

Terry nodded, mock glaring at her brother. "Yes, I'm the only human Pathfinder now. Dad officially transferred the final protocols to me not too long ago."

"Congratulations!" Suvi hugged Terry and kissed her.

Once she finished, Reyes offered his own congratulations, "You've certainly earned it, Terry."

"I wouldn't say _earned_ , but thank you, Reyes." Terry smiled wryly.

Gently, Alec interjected, "We should probably go join the party now, before people start looking for us."

"Right, yes." Terry made a face and headed towards the cryo bay with Suvi. After a few moments, Freddy and Reyes fell in step with them. Quietly, Terry said, "Freddy, I know you're happy on Kadara with Reyes, but would you be willing to rejoin the _Tempest_ crew? At least for a little while?"

While his lover tried to formulate a reply, Reyes nudged him gently. "Go ahead, Freddy. I know you've been restless. It's why you help with the supply runs to the Nexus."

"Are you sure?" Freddy glanced at him in surprise.

Reyes nodded. "Quite sure. Just make sure you come by for visits."

"That was never in doubt," Freddy stopped and drew him into a tender kiss.

He returned it with pleasure. For the first time in over a year, he looked forward to what the future would bring.

*

Kallo didn't mean to eavesdrop on Gil and his friend, but he happened to be passing by when she suddenly raised her voice, "If we're going to survive in Andromeda, we _need_ to reproduce."

"I know, I know, Jill, but you can't ask me something like this and expect an answer right away," Gil replied, sounding exasperated.

Jill, her arms folded across her chest, stared hard at Gil. "You've changed since we got to Andromeda. Back in the Milky Way, you'd have answered right away."

"I've changed because I realized I can't go with my gut all the time anymore," Gil retorted, his voice stern. "I have responsibilities and I have to keep those in mind while deciding whether to help father a child. I've told you that I don't want to just be a donor, I want to be involved in raising them."

Frowning, Jill looked down at the deck and chewed her lower lip. "Fine, I'll wait for you to think about it. Whether you agree to donate or not, I still want you to be part of my child's life."

"I _will_ keep that in mind." Gil nodded, his shoulders and expression both relaxing.

Jill dropped her arms and reached up to squeeze Gil's shoulder. "Thanks, Gil."

"Thank _you_ , Jill." He leaned down to kiss her cheek.

Realizing that Jill was about to leave and likely notice him, Kallo ducked back around the corner. He held his breath until he saw her walk away, and then breathed out a sigh. He stiffened when Gil rounded the corner, arms folded across his chest. A little nervously, Kallo gave a little wave. "Hi, Gil."

"Kallo. How much did you hear?" Gil asked, his expression blank and shuttered in a way that he'd never seen before.

Deciding honesty would be best, Kallo told him, "Enough to gather that your friend would like you to father her child and she wanted an answer right away, but you want to think about it."

"Right, so pretty much all of it." Gil scuffed his boot against the deck. "What do you think?"

Kallo shrugged. "I know other races reproduce differently, but my people would consider it a great honor to be chosen."

"Well, yes, it _is_ an honor," Gil agreed with a small smile. "I'm aware of that. I just don't know if I'm ready to help raise a kid right now."

He nodded his understanding. "Of course. Raising a child is a lifetime commitment and not a decision to be made lightly or quickly. You were right to ask for time to think about it."

"Okay." Gil exhaled a long breath, a relieved smile lighting his face. "Thanks, Kallo."

Blinking in puzzlement, Kallo stared at his friend. "For what?"

"For listening to me and assuring me that I'm not stupid for wanting time to think." Dropping his arms, Gil reached up and gently squeezed Kallo's arm.

Nodding, Kallo took Gil's hand and returned the squeeze. "I know we've had our share of differences, but I like to think that we've moved past that."

"I'd say we have." Gil grinned up at him. "Say, have you had a chance to look around Meridian?"

Kallo smiled back, not sure why the sight of that grin was so pleasing. "I have and I've had some ideas for the _Tempest_."

"So've I." Still grinning, Gil tugged at his hand. "C'mon, I'll show you."

Chuckling, he let Gil drag him out of the _Hyperion_ to explore Meridian.

*

"I knew you'd died, even before SAM told us," Peebee told Freddy as he approached her with Reyes. "I felt it."

She turned to see them staring at her. Reyes found his voice first. "How did you know?"

"I don't think asari can sense life signs." A puzzled frown creased Freddy's forehead, wrinkling the scar around his left eye.

Peebee shook her head. "Normally, no, we don't."

"So how did you know?" Reyes inquired when she hesitated to explain further.

Very quietly, Freddy asked, "It's because of how asari match, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she whispered with a nod. "We feel a pull towards a potential match. The stronger the match, the stronger the pull."

She turned away from them, burying her hands in the pockets of her jacket. A hand touched her shoulder and Reyes asked the question she'd been dreading, "What happens if your match dies?"

"Humans stop seeing colors," Freddy added, moving up to Peebee's other side, his hand warm on her other shoulder. "What happens for asari?"

Peebee sighed and looked out over Meridian. "When a match dies, there's a snap, like a rubber band breaking. It was-- I'd never felt it before. I thought it was painful to wake up and realize I didn't feel pulled to Kalinda anymore, but that-- that was so much worse."

"I am sorry, Peebee," Reyes whispered, his grip on her shoulder tightening.

Freddy gently turned her towards him and drew her into a tight hug. She stood stiff and still in his arms, and then gave in to the pull and hugged him back. "And you didn't even see me again until the party."

She held tight to him, pressing her face into his neck so she could breathe in his scent. "Nope, but I knew you were alive because I still felt the pull towards you."

"What do we do now?" Reyes queried after a short silence. "We both care for Freddy and he cares for both of us."

Freddy eased back enough to kiss her forehead. "You once told me you didn't want strings or baggage. Is that still the case?"

"I want strings and baggage," she told him, stretching up to kiss his cheek. "All of it."

Reyes moved closer, looking curious. "Even if I'm part of it?"

"You'll have to share me with him in _some_ capacity," Freddy added, looking uncertain.

Peebee looked from one to the other, her heart racing. She didn't know Reyes _that_ well, but she already felt the tiniest of pulls towards him, too. Slowly, she nodded. "Yes, I'm willing to share Freddy with you, Reyes. Whether fully or only partially, I'm down with that."

"Do you want us to share you, Freddy?" Reyes asked, moving closer, glancing between the two. "Or do you want all three of us to be together?"

Freddy looked between them, violet eyes wide, but Peebee could see a hint of hunger in them. "Honestly? I've had some fantasies about all three of us together."

"Really?" Peebee grinned at him, delighted by the admission.

Reyes chuckled, pressing against their sides and wrapping his arms around both of them. "I'd say that settles the question, don't you?"

"Absolutely." Freddy nodded firmly, and then nudged both Peebee and Reyes. "Perhaps you two should kiss to seal the deal?"

Grinning, Peebee turned so she could kiss Reyes, which he returned very enthusiastically. While Freddy was playful and coy when he kissed, Reyes was teasing and flirtatious and Peebee quite enjoyed the difference. She grinned when they parted to catch their breath. "I think this will work out very well."

"Agreed." Reyes nodded, and then glanced at Freddy curiously.

Freddy wrapped his arms around them and pulled them close with a groan. Peebee exchanged a grin with Reyes. "That was fucking hot."

"Perhaps we should go find somewhere more private," she suggested, stroking her fingers through Freddy's hair. "I'm not done with either of you."

Reyes nodded again, grinning. "Nor am I."

"Fuck yes." Freddy nodded fervently.

Peebee smiled as they set off for a private room. _Strings and baggage **can** be good.  
_

*

"I'm a little surprised that you'd rather hang out with me than go meet my children," Alec Ryder commented to Teviint after her brothers left.

Once she couldn't see Jaal, Baranjj, and Lathoul any longer, Teviint turned to the human. "You once made a deal with me, Ryder. I upheld my end. Have you held up yours?"

"I have, though I will confess that I didn't actually manage that until just a few weeks ago." Ryder looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck.

Teviint was a little surprised by his candid reply, but appreciated it all the same. "I suppose, in the end, it's the fact that you apologized that counts."

"Yes. I caught Terry by surprise, but she greatly appreciated that I apologized for my mistake, despite how long it took." Ryder smiled ruefully. "I won't deny it: we both shed tears before we finished our talk."

She looked at him curiously. "Why would you deny an honest expression of emotion like that? We all cried once our mothers arrived."

"Not all humans are as free with their emotions as angara," Ryder told her, looking amused. "I generally don't like to express them when I'm among strangers. With family and close friends, I tend to be freer with my emotions."

That made no sense to Teviint. "Holding back emotions can be dangerous. Especially negative ones such as sadness, anger, and--"

"And hate," Ryder finished for her, his voice quiet. "I know. When the twins' mother got sick, I ignored my feelings about it. I chose to focus on trying to find a cure. I withdrew from pretty much everyone and focused only on my goal. It cost me most of my friendships and strained my relationships with Terry and Freddy."

Frowning with puzzlement, she asked, "Why did you focus on work? Why not focus on spending time with your family?"

"I was selfish." Ryder sighed deeply. "I wanted more time with her. I didn't want to be the only one to see our children marry and have children."

She shook her head. "That's kind of stupid, but I understand. If there was a way to bring back everyone we've lost to the kett, either through death or exaltation, I'd want to pursue it."

"That's what I did and it almost cost me my children." Ryder sighed again. "It took moving to another galaxy and both twins almost dying for me to understand how much my obsession had cost me in terms of my relationships."

Teviint remained quiet for several moments, drinking in the sight of Meridian, before she could think of a reply. "I joined the Roekaar because I was afraid that all aliens were like the kett. Now that I've had a chance to actually speak with the Milky Way aliens helping on Havarl, I understand that my fear was wrong. Understandable, but wrong."

"I had a similar fear when I first landed on Aya." Ryder laughed softly. "The wary reception was actually encouraging, because the kett had always shot us on sight. Your people didn't."

She nodded, understanding his worry quite well. Before she could reply, Ryder's omni-tool chimed and he tapped it, a small screen appearing above the orange glow. "Hey, Dad, don't keep Jaal's badass sister to yourself!"

"We had something we needed to discuss," Ryder replied to the younger voice, fondness evident in his unusual violet eyes. "We'll be there shortly."

A tap of his omni-tool and the screen disappeared. Teviint smiled faintly. "Lead the way, Ryder. I'm curious about Terry's twin brother."

"He flirts, but it's harmless and he'll stop if you ask him politely," Ryder gestured towards the doorway where her brothers had gone. "Shall we?"

Nodding, Teviint followed Ryder as he headed deeper into the ship. _I'm glad we made that deal. I wouldn't have had the courage to apologize to Lathoul so soon otherwise...  
_

*

"Terry! Suvi!" Avela hurried to meet them, gratified when they gathered her into a tight hug, breathing in their combined human scents. "You-- Everyone's been talking about what you did."

Looking shy as she drew back, Terry ducked her head and scuffed her shoe on the floor. "Well, we all did it. Stopped the Archon, I mean."

"Everyone in the Cluster," Suvi added, squeezing Terry's hand. "The Nexus, the Resistance, the exiles, the krogan, everyone worked together to stop him."

Avela nodded. She'd heard as much from her contacts in the Resistance. "I made notes about it, because it's history, too."

"We can provide you with a copy of our logs," Terry offered, looking eager.

Suvi nodded. "Well, within reason."

"I understand." She nodded as well, understanding that there were some things that needed to remain secret.

When she remained silent, fidgeting, Terry caught her hand and asked softly, "What's bothering you, Avela?"

"Please don't be afraid to speak your mind with us," Suvi requested, taking her other hand.

Avela squeezed their hands like she'd seen them do. "I... don't know how it is for humans, but angara can tell when their match has died."

"Oh. Shit." Terry tightened her grip on Avela's hand. "I'm sorry. That wasn't my fault."

Suvi stepped forward and hugged Avela tight. "Humans don't see colors until we meet a potential match. When they die, we lose colors."

"The hum stopped," Avela explained, trying to imagine a world without colors. "Only partly, and I wasn't sure at first because it slowly faded."

Terry wrapped her arms around Suvi and Avela. "It was because of something the Archon did, but Freddy helped bring me back."

"It was--" Suvi stopped and swallowed hard.

Avela shifted so she could wrap an arm around Terry. "I'll have to thank him for that."

"Oh, he says you're welcome for the rivaan, by the way," Terry told her.

Suvi eased back from the embrace, smiling warmly. "We haven't heard one of those played yet."

"I can arrange that," Avela assured them as she eased back as well. She looked between the two, thoughtful. "I have a feeling your real work has just begun."

Terry nodded, smiling wryly. "Yes, but we'll try to visit as often as we can. That is, if you'd like us to do so."

"What Terry's trying to say is that we're still interested in pursuing something together," Suvi added when Avela stared at them.

She looked from one to the other, thinking of that moment when part of the hum had faded and she'd just _known_ that something had happened to one of them. Part of her didn't want to face that again, but she'd eventually face it regardless of who she ultimately chose to spend the rest of her life with, whether angaran or human or some other species. Making up her mind, she drew Terry and Suvi close once more. "I'm terrible at this, but no matter where you go, make sure you always come back. For each other and for me."

"Always." Terry and Suvi both hugged her tight.

She could feel her body energy rippling, but didn't think anything of it until Suvi asked, "Umm, what was that?"

"Oh!" Avela blushed. "It's part of matching with someone. Our body energy interacts when we match with a fellow angaran."

Looking thoughtful, Terry tilted her head slightly and brought up one arm, her omni-tool appearing above her forearm the next moment. "SAM, is it possible for biotics to interact with angaran bioelectricity?"

"It _is_ possible," SAM replied. "Though it has not been tested as of yet."

Avela looked curiously at Terry. "From what I understand, you don't have biotics. Is that the correct term?"

"Yes, that's the correct term and no, Terry doesn't have them," Suvi replied, looking curious, too.

Terry nodded, tapping at her omni-tool again. "That's true, but I _do_ have eezo nodes like Freddy, I just didn't end up with biotics like he did. However, SAM can activate them to give me biotics, though I haven't trained to _use_ them the way Freddy has."

"A moment please." After a short wait, a blue-violet field appeared around Terry's body.

Suvi reached out to touch it and drew her hand back, bringing up her own omni-tool the next moment. "This is amazing."

"This might actually help you in your dealings with us," Avela told Terry, holding up her arm for a typical angaran greeting.

Terry held up her arm next to Avela's and gasped at the sensation. "I can feel something pushing against my biotics. I'm guessing that's your bioelectricity?"

"Well, everyone generates bioelectricity, but it's highly developed in angara," Suvi pointed out, her attention on her omni-tool.

Avela nodded, focusing on manipulating her body energy. "It adds layers of meanings to what we do and say."

"I can feel what you're doing, but I don't have any way of interpreting it," Terry remarked, and glanced at Suvi. "I wonder if there's a way for people without biotics or Pathfinder implants to do something similar."

Suvi looked thoughtful. "Perhaps it's a function that can be added to omni-tools? We'd have to learn how to manipulate the bioelectricity and interpret what we receive."

"If it will help our peoples in some way, the idea should be proposed to someone who has the knowledge and training to develop it," Avela told them, dropping her arm.

Terry did the same and tapped her omni-tool. The blue-violet field shimmered, and then disappeared. "I'll mention it to the other Pathfinders when we next meet."

"Vederia could probably control hers better without her SAM," Suvi agreed.

Avela stared at Terry. "Other Pathfinders?"

"Oh! I forgot to mention." Terry smiled sheepishly. "Dad officially retired as the human Pathfinder. It's now _my_ job."

Suvi hugged Terry briefly. "She didn't tell me right away, either."

"Congratulations." Avela hugged Terry tightly.

Terry returned both hugs. "Honestly, I don't know how to bring it up because I feel like I'm bragging when I do."

"Perhaps we can do something to celebrate?" Suvi suggested, taking Terry's hand, and then looking at Avela.

She nodded, taking Terry and Suvi's hands. "Yes, I'm done for the day. Let's go to my home."

"That sounds perfect," Terry agreed.

Suvi smiled and nodded. "Lead the way."

"Gladly." With that, Avela led them from the Repository to her home in the residential district. She still wasn't sure if getting involved with humans was a _good_ idea, but she didn't care. She liked Terry and Suvi and refused to hold back any longer.

*

The most surprising thing for Ellen about waking up was the fact that she woke up at all. She'd been dying and made her peace with it long ago. Alec, it seemed, had not given up and now gazed down at her with worried and relieved violet eyes. Feeling weak, but not stiff with pain, she reached for him. "Alec..."

"Ellen." He smiled, taking her hand in his as tears spilled down his cheeks. "Thank god."

She held his hand as tightly as she could manage, feeling tears prick her own eyes. Clearing her throat, she asked, "What-- I thought..."

"Alec's a stubborn bastard, as you well know," Harry explained from the other side of the bed.

Ellen smiled, reaching for him with her other hand. "Harry..."

"It's good to see you awake, Mom," Terry chimed in as Harry took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back.

She smiled even more to see both her children standing at the foot of the bed, holding hands as they gazed back at her with tearful smiles of their own. Even in her happiness at seeing them, she could tell something was off about them. Terry held herself differently: taller and more confident. Freddy had a new scar along his cheek, almost hidden by his tattoo. It was more than that, though, and Ellen finally figured it out. "You're older than I remember. How long have I been in stasis?"

"Almost 640 years," Freddy told her with a grin that belied the way he gripped his sister's hand. "Give or take."

Absorbing this information, Ellen looked around the room they were in. While it bore definite resemblance to the hospital room that she'd last seen, there was technology present that she didn't recognize at all. It was alien to her. "Where are we?" When she looked at her husband, he didn't quite meet her eyes, focused more on her hand in his. "Alec?"

"We're in the Andromeda Galaxy, Ellen," Harry told her when Alec remained silent.

She stared at him in shock. "A whole other galaxy? Why?"

"To save you," Alec told her, bringing her hand up to kiss the back. "Among other reasons."

Ellen stared at her husband now, surprised by this change in him. He wasn't the same gruff, driven man she'd said good-bye to over 600 years ago (apparently). He was more like the idealistic young soldier she'd fallen in love with in the first place. Before she could think of another question, their attention was caught by the sound of a child crying and it was getting louder. Terry moved to the door even as someone tapped on it, followed by a woman's voice calling through it in a Scottish accent, "Terry, I'm sorry to interrupt, but--"

"Come in, Suvi." Terry opened the door, admitting a redheaded young woman carrying a little girl who had to be at least a year old.

The moment she saw Terry, the little girl reached for her, "Momma!"

"I'm here," Terry said, carefully taking the girl and cuddling her close with one arm under her bottom. Once she was settled, Terry took the other woman's hand and led her over the bed. Alec moved closer to the head of the bed to give them room. "Um, Mom, I'd like you to meet my wife, Dr. Suvi Anwar, and our daughter, Hannah Ryder-Anwar."

Suvi smiled shyly at Ellen, giving a little wave with her free hand. "Hello, Dr. Ryder. It's wonderful to meet you at last."

"You--" Ellen looked between the two. "You're a match?"

Terry nodded, giving Suvi a look that Ellen usually received from Alec. "Yes, we're a match. It took 600 years and a whole other galaxy, but we found each other."

"You found each other and that's what counts, Terry," Alec interjected with what sounded like the ease of long practice.

Ellen gingerly pushed herself into a sitting position, smiling when Alec and Harry quickly piled pillows behind her back to help support her. She was encouraged by how relaxed Alec and Terry seemed to be with each other. _They must have worked things out between them._

"Yes, of course." Terry smiled, and then turned her attention to the child in her arms. "Hannah, would you like to meet your grandma?"

The girl, who'd been resting her head on Terry's shoulder now that she'd accomplished her apparent goal, lifted it and stared at her mother. "Grandpa?"

"No, Grandma," Suvi corrected gently. "She's Grandpa and Grumpa's wife, just like Mother and I are Momma's wives."

Hannah began twisting around in Terry's arms. "Where?"

"Right here," Ellen told her as Terry gently set Hannah on the bed, facing her grandmother and steadying her. "Hello, Hannah."

With the girl facing her, Ellen could see now that she was a beautiful blend of her mothers: her skin color somewhere between theirs, but her eyes the same violet as Terry's and her hair the same bright red as Suvi's. Hannah stared at Ellen for several moments, her eyes bright with curiosity as she tried to stay balanced. Finally, she asked, "Grandma?"

"Yes, that's me." Ellen held out her hands and Hannah began to carefully, shakily walk towards Ellen.

Five omni-tools followed her progress and, when she finally tumbled into Ellen's lap, everyone cheered and clapped. Alec and Harry perched on the bed on either side of Ellen as she helped Hannah sit properly in her lap. "Well, done, Hannah! You just took your first steps."

"Grandpa." Hannah patted Harry's cheek with one hand, unperturbed by his declaration. Then she patted Alec's cheek, "Grumpa." Finally, she tugged at Ellen's hair. "Grandma."

Alec wrapped them both in a tight hug and Ellen was sure he was crying again. The next moment, she felt Harry wrap his arms around all three of them. She smiled tearfully as she held her granddaughter close. _I was ready to die, but I won't waste this second chance with my family._

"I thought the point of curing her was so she'd live, not so you'd smother her to death," a strange voice remarked a few moments later.

When Alec and Harry drew back enough for Ellen to see who'd arrived, a human man a few years older than the twins had arrived. Not quite as dark as Harry, he had sleek black hair and hazel eyes and held a bundle against his chest, a diaper bag draped over one shoulder. Next to him stood an asari with black smudged across her eyes. Hannah clearly knew them, blurting, "Unca Rey! Auntie Peebs!"

"Hiya, Hanners!" The asari greeted her with a grin and a wave as the two of them approached the bed, each of them kissing Freddy softly.

Hannah pulled out of Ellen's arms and toddled determinedly down the bed to the footboard, followed once again by several omni-tools. Holding onto the footboard, Hannah peered at the bundle in the strange man's arms. "Alan 'kay?"

"Just asleep, Hannah," the man replied, gently tilting the bundle to reveal a sleeping baby.

Freddy took the asari's hand and slipped his other arm around the stranger's waist, guiding them towards the head of the bed on Harry's side. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Reyes Vidal and Pelessaria B'Sayle, my spouses. Reyes, Peebs, my mother, Ellen Ryder."

"It's great to meet you, Dr. Ryder," Pelessaria chirped after mock glaring at Freddy, shaking Ellen's hand firmly. "Please call me Peebee."

Smirking, Terry chimed in, "Or Peanut Butter."

"You are lovelier than your children said you were," Reyes told her, carefully shifting the baby to one arm so he could shake Ellen's hand. "This sleepy gentleman is Alan Vidal-Ryder."

A little overwhelmed, Ellen nodded to each of them. "It's nice to meet you two, too." She gestured to Alan. "May I?"

"Of course." Reyes gently placed him in Ellen's arms and she cradled him close.

He yawned as she held him and smacked his lips together. "Oh... the twins used to do that, too."

"So did Hannah," Terry replied, holding her daughter once again.

Ellen looked up at her family, happy tears flowing down her cheeks. "I'm glad to be here. I can't wait to watch my grandchildren grow up."

"Welcome to Andromeda, Ellen," Harry told her, leaning down to kiss her, soft and sweet.

Alec only kissed her, clearly too emotional to speak. As she rested her head against his chest, the door opened again to admit an alien she'd never seen before with purple and pink skin. "I came as quickly as I could."

"Come over and meet my mother properly," Terry told the alien, extending her free hand to them while Suvi moved to her other side. The alien walked over and took Terry's hand, unusual blue eyes focusing on Ellen. "Mom, this is mine and Suvi's wife, Avela Kjar. She's angaran. Avela, this is mine and Freddy's mother, Ellen Ryder."

Avela nodded, squeezing Terry's hand before releasing it to offer her hand to Ellen. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Dr. Ryder."

"It's nice to meet you, too, Ms. Kjar," Ellen replied, carefully shifting Alan to one arm so she could shake Avela's hand. As she held it, she was startled to realize that the last three fingers on her hand were fused together into a single digit. "You're angaran?"

Nodding, Avela gently squeezed Ellen's hand before withdrawing hers. "Yes, we're from Andromeda. It's been...interesting since your people arrived here several years ago."

"Interesting is _one_ word for it," Freddy remarked with a chuckle.

Grinning, Peebee added, "Certainly not boring."

"I foresee a great deal of reading in the near future," Ellen observed, gently rocking Alan when he began to fuss.

When that didn't work, she checked for other signs of his discomfort. Reyes rummaged through the diaper bag and soon produced a bottle. "That's his hungry cry. Would you like to do the honors, Dr. Ryder?"

"Thank you, Mr. Vidal." Ellen accepted the bottle and Alan was soon drinking greedily.

Harry perched beside her on the bed, slipping an arm around her waist. "I always forget just how much babies eat, no matter how many times I see it."

"And you're a doctor," Ellen teased him, remembering how they'd had to buy formula from the start, because both Terry and Freddy had had large appetites and she just couldn't produce enough milk herself to satisfy them.

She felt Alec tip his head to rest against Harry's. "There's a difference between learning something from a book and actually seeing it for yourself."

"Mmm." Ellen nodded, careful not to bump either Alec or Harry. Then she looked up at her children, each with two spouses. Softly, she asked, "There's no stigma against multiple matches here in Andromeda?"

Both twins shook their heads. "It's unusual for angarans to _not_ have multiple matches. Terry told me you have a saying: the more the merrier."

"I like the sound of that." Ellen smiled, handing the emptied baby bottle to Reyes.

Freddy then gently took Alan from her and held him over one shoulder, where he'd already draped a towel, lightly patting his back. "It's worked out so far."

"We're _very_ happy," Terry added, holding Avela's hand once more. Suvi had moved to Avela's other side and taken that hand.

Ellen leaned back against Alec and Harry, taking their hands in hers. "I would love to call you both my husbands."

"We rather thought that would be the case," Alec replied with a chuckle, kissing the top of her head, and then Harry's cheek.

This time, _Harry_ couldn't speak, just tilting her head up to kiss her soundly. Against her palm, she felt him sign, "I love you."

"I love you both."

"And we love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last scene is what prompted me to write the fic because I _had_ to explain how Alec survived, and then what happened between then and the final scene.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for sticking with my story for so long. I hope you enjoyed it. I had fun writing it, even when I decided to make a change that prompted a whole bunch of changes in the fic itself. I have ideas for other stories, so we'll see what I write next.


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